A shocking new lawsuit claims that a minor traffic stop turned into a felony-like experience for Deirdre O’Connor Donlon, the wife of a former high-ranking New York City police officer. Allegedly, this incident was a direct response to her husband’s tumultuous feud with top department officials.
According to the complaint filed in Manhattan’s state Supreme Court on Monday, Deirdre said she was stopped by former interim police chief Thomas Donlon just a month after a nearly physical altercation with another high-ranking officer at the New York City Marathon.
This 52-page lawsuit adds another layer to the ongoing conflict between the NYPD and the Donlon family, which earlier included a federal corruption lawsuit filed by Thomas Donlon over the summer.
“We believe these arrests wouldn’t have happened without retaliation against Chief Donlon,” stated O’Connor Donlon’s attorney, John Scola, on Monday.
Scola expressed his outrage, describing the arrest as “terrible” and unnecessary. He noted that Deirdre is still dealing with the stress from the incident. “She was effectively arrested without cause and handcuffed to a bench. It’s been traumatic for her,” he added.
The complaint outlines that on December 16, 2024, Deirdre was involved in a minor fender bender near East 56th Street and 1st Avenue, prompting police to be called. Initially, the encounter was “calm and routine.” However, everything changed when officers received a call from their superiors, which, according to the lawsuit, escalated the situation dramatically.
Deirdre was handcuffed and taken to the 17th Precinct, where she spent over two hours in custody before being released without any charges. However, news of the arrest, including her address, was widely reported on the evening news.
The complaint insinuates that this information was leaked by opponents of the former chief within the NYPD.
The tensions between Thomas Donlon and other department leaders reached a peak during last year’s marathon when he had an altercation with outgoing chief of staff Tariq Shepard. Their disagreement escalated quickly, requiring separation before it turned physical.
Shepard, who has made headlines for speaking out against reporters, retired in April. In a turn of events, Thomas Donlon, formerly with the FBI, filed a 251-page federal complaint alleging that Mayor Eric Adams’ NYPD operates “criminally.” He described a system designed to protect allies while silencing dissenters through retaliation and favoritism.
In September, Donlon even referred the matter to the U.S. Department of Justice, asking for an investigation into possible criminal conspiracies within the NYPD linked to the administration of Mayor Adams.
Now, Deirdre has entered the spotlight in this evolving saga. The city attorney’s office has yet to respond to her lawsuit.
