Nashville officer shot by suspect sues valet company, saying poor security attracted criminals

Evan Mealins, Nashville Tennessean
·1 min read
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The Nashville police officer shot by a robbery suspect last June is suing the valet parking company he says attracted criminal activity because its poor security was an open secret.

Detective Donovan Coble was hospitalized on June 1, 2023, after he was shot by Delama Casimir near a valet parking lot on Donelson Pike operated by The Parking Spot, which shuttles travelers to Nashville International Airport. Coble was responding to reports of a man breaking into vehicles at the parking lot. Police said Casimir shot him with a pistol stolen from one of the unlocked cars in the parking lot.

Coble and another officer returned fire. Casimir died from his injuries.

Metro Nashville Police Officers investigate after an officer was shot in Nashville, Tenn., on June 1, 2023. The officer was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for treatment.
Metro Nashville Police Officers investigate after an officer was shot in Nashville, Tenn., on June 1, 2023. The officer was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for treatment.

Coble argues in his new lawsuit that the valet company should be held liable for the near-fatal injuries he sustained during the shooting because of its negligent security practices, which he alleges include regularly leaving car doors unlocked, not employing security guards and failing to keep perimeter fences in good condition.

"Not only did the Defendant fail as stated above, TPS (The Parking Spot) allowed through their omissions for it ... to become common knowledge to the nearby criminal element that TPS failed to even lock vehicle doors, thus creating an attractive environment to encourage break ins," the lawsuit states.

A manager at The Parking Spot told The Tennessean it could not comment for this story. The Parking Spot has not responded in court.

Coble is joined by his wife Kayla Coble as a plaintiff in the case. They are seeking as much as $8 million in damages.

Coble is represented by longtime Nashville lawyers David Raybin and David Weissman. The lawsuit, initially filed in Davidson County Circuit Court in May, was transferred to federal court on June 12.

Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EvanMealins.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville officer sues valet company he says attracted criminals