San Diego

George E. Balboa, charged with assaulting a San Diego police officer, has filed a Superior Court lawsuit against the city and Officer Stephen Williamson, alleging officials allowed Williamson to keep working despite Williamson’s claims he was disabled by stress.

Williamson shot Balboa during an altercation March 23, the third civilian he had fired at in five years. Balboa, who has been jailed since the incident, contends in the suit that Williamson’s claim he was attacked by Balboa is a fabrication to cover up the officer’s conduct.

The suit charges that the city knew Williamson posed a danger to himself and the public but turned down Williamson’s request for a stress disability discharge to save the cost of paying him a pension.

Filed on behalf of Balboa, his wife and their two children, the suit alleges negligence, battery, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and other misconduct by Williamson and the city.