KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) – A federal civil rights lawsuit stemming from the 2022 arrest of a disabled Air Force veteran in South Knox County has been settled for $1 million, according to the attorney representing the veteran.
The case involved Brian Eugene Hux, a 100% disabled Air Force veteran who was stopped and arrested by Knox County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Randall Williams on Oct. 10, 2022.
According to court filings, Williams was searching for a hospital patient who had escaped police custody when he encountered Hux on Edington Road. A lawsuit filed in 2023 alleged that Hux did not match the description provided in a be-on-the-lookout alert.
Court documents stated the wanted individual was described as a 34-year-old man standing six feet tall with brown hair. Hux was 64 years old, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and had long purple hair at the time of the encounter.
The lawsuit claimed body camera footage showed Hux walking away from the deputy and only running after Williams charged toward him. Williams then deployed his Taser, striking Hux in the back of the head. Hux fell face-first onto the pavement.
Medical records referenced in the lawsuit indicated Hux suffered a fractured skull, a brain bleed and other permanent injuries. Since the incident, he has been living in a 24-hour assisted care facility.
The case gained additional attention this summer when a federal appeals court upheld a lower court’s decision denying Williams qualified immunity. The court cited three factors in its ruling: that Williams lacked reasonable suspicion to stop Hux, that the deputy’s actions provoked Hux’s flight and that the existence of an outstanding warrant did not eliminate Hux’s constitutional protections.
Attorneys representing Williams had argued that Hux’s outstanding warrant meant his civil rights were not violated. The appeals court rejected that position.
On Monday, attorney Lance Baker confirmed a settlement had been reached, resolving the lawsuit for $1 million.
“From the moment this case was filed, Knox County made it clear they had no intention of paying Mr. Hux anything,” Baker said in a statement. “Changing that took long and hard-fought litigation, pushing back against the County at every stage, and a ruling from the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit confirming what we knew all along: this case had real merit.”
Baker added that Hux remained committed to pursuing the case despite years of litigation.
“Mr. Hux was determined to see this through from day one. He held firm, and we fought right beside him the entire way. This result is his, and he has earned the right to finally move forward with his life,” Baker said.
Hux originally sought $3 million in damages through the lawsuit.
