NEW HAVEN — State trooper John Myer filed a lawsuit against the cities of New Haven and Cheshire and two police officers over injuries he sustained during a motorcycle funeral procession on June 12, 2024. The lawsuit names Cheshire police officer Lester Zimnoch and New Haven police officer Eric Pesino in their personal capacities and alleges their negligence caused Myer’s injuries and resulting medical expenses.
According to the complaint, Myer required back surgery after a prior injury was aggravated when he was struck from behind during the procession. The lawsuit states that Zimnoch, who was riding immediately ahead of Myer during the journey from Windsor Locks to New Haven, kept tapping his brakes, a practice that is not done during formation, before making an abrupt braking maneuver near a highway entrance ramp. Myer claims he abruptly braked in response, after which Pesino’s vehicle collided into him.
The procession was escorting the body of slain Minneapolis police officer Jamal Mitchell from Bradley International Airport to his hometown of New Haven. It began in Windsor Locks with about three dozen officers on motorcycles and was joined by Mitchell’s hearse. Upon arrival in New Haven, the group was met by roughly 50 officers and 25 firefighters.
New Haven and Cheshire are named as defendants under a theory of municipal liability for their officers’ actions. As of May 29, 2026, neither city had filed a response to the allegations.