A DeKalb County woman says a sheriff’s deputy harassed her on numerous occasions at a Publix store and once pushed his lips to her ears in front of her four children, according to a civil lawsuit filed this week.
The deputy, identified in the lawsuit as Terian Antoine Williams, began to stalk the woman at the Stone Mountain store two years ago, the lawsuit says. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution does not name alleged victims of sexual assault.
“You don’t know what I do to you” and “If I could kidnap you and take you home, I would,” Williams allegedly told the woman, the lawsuit says. The plaintiff repeatedly asked the deputy to stop his inappropriate behavior and told him she was married, the suit states.
When the plaintiff asked Williams his name in order to file a complaint, he allegedly lowered his face mask and pushed his lips against her ear as her children looked on.
“Call me Big Zaddy,” Williams allegedly whispered, the suit says.
The woman reported the behavior to both the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and Publix, but Williams remained at the store, and his advances toward her continued, the lawsuit states. The plaintiff is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages.
“The sheriff’s office breached its duty by failing to adequately and properly supervise its employees to prevent harm, including harm arising from violations of the negligent decisions of Defendant Williams as alleged,” the lawsuit states.
Neither the sheriff’s office nor Publix, both named in the suit, responded to requests for comment on Tuesday.
“At Publix, we’re known for treating customers like royalty — it’s part of our reputation and one of the reasons customers are so loyal to our stores,” the grocery store’s website states.
Williams has served as a reserve officer with the sheriff’s office since 2015, according to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, also known as P.O.S.T. Since 2012, he has worked as an officer with the DeKalb County school system, P.O.S.T. records show. He previously worked for Atlanta police and Navicent Health as a hospital police officer.
— Data journalist Jennifer Peebles contributed to this story.
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