Atlanta police sued by family of teen who accused ex-officer of sexual assault after crash
The family of a teen who said she was sexually assaulted by a former officer has filed a federal lawsuit against the Atlanta Police Department.
The lawsuit alleges that the department has a history of 'ignoring sexual predators' and the city 'has not established or followed nationwide standards in screening recruits for employment.'
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The former officer, Anthony Anderson, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to charges of improper sexual contact, false statements and violation of oath by a public officer. He was sentenced to 25 years with six to serve.
It happened in August 2023 after the teen got into a car crash in Atlanta.
Arrest warrants accused Anderson of forcing the girl to perform a sex act on him and assaulting her. The warrant also stated that he didn't allow medical personnel to check the victim for injuries.
In the lawsuit filed on May 8, the family claims that Anderson had a documented history of misconduct before he was hired in 2015.
'Anderson's supervisors knew of and/or were deliberately indifferent towards Anderson's history of misconduct and deployed him in the field anyway, putting the citizens of Georgia — adults and children — at risk," attorneys wrote.
The family said the teen has suffered severe trauma and has received voluntary treatment at a mental health facility. They are seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
Channel 2 Action News reached out Tuesday morning to Atlanta police for a statement, but was told they do not comment on pending litigation.
At the time of Anderson's arrest, APD's Chief Darin Schierbaum released the following statement:
'Not only am I disturbed and disappointed by these allegations, but it also angers me. We ask the public to trust us to do the right thing, to keep them safe. So, when one of our own is accused of despicable acts with a minor, it erodes that trust that sometimes takes years to build. You can be assured, I will act swiftly to investigate anytime allegations of misconduct are brought to my attention. I want to thank the Atlanta Police Department's criminal investigation division for their prompt action in dealing with this matter.'
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