VERMILLION COUNTY, Ind. – An Indiana Conservation Officer is being sued by a Terre Haute man.

John Kite, who is a former Vigo County Judge, claims he was falsely arrested by Deland Szczepanski.

The lawsuit claims Kite was bird-watching last March in rural Vermillion County when he was stopped by Szczepanski and was detained for nearly a half hour.

It is alleged that Szczepanski accused Kite of acting suspicious and told him he doesn’t like people stopping by or in front of his house.

Kite was never charged with any crime.