TRENTON - A Ewing woman has filed a lawsuit against the Lambertville City Police Department and the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office Narcotics Task Force claiming she was the victim of excessive force.

Heather Williamson-Hughes was sitting in her car in the parking lot of Lambertville Fine Food and Flowers on Bridge Street in the city on Nov. 14, 2016, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in Mercer County Superior Court.

Williamson-Hughes had been at a wellness check for her recent C-section at Phillips Barber Family Health and was with her 4-day old son, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in November.

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Williamson-Hughes intended to buy some food at the store and opened her purse to find her money when she was approached by a man in plain clothing with a gun drawn, the suit alleges.

She then looked to her right and saw three more men approaching her car with guns drawn. Two of the men were dressed in police uniforms, including bullet-proof vests, it alleges.

Lambertville Police Sgt. Michael Gramlich and Officer Victor Albani, who are named as defendants in the lawsuit, "maliciously and baselessly yelled" at Williamson-Hughes to "put your hands up, get your hands up, don't move, let me see your hands," according to the lawsuit.

Williamson-Hughes then slowly stepped toward the officers "with her hands deferentially raised in the air, showing she was not a threat," she claimed in her lawsuit, which also names Trenton Police and the City of Lambertville as defendants.

The officers, however, "continued to verbally and mentally terrorize and confuse" Williamson-Hughes. They allegedly reached into her vehicle, took her phone, and hung up on the conversation she was having while yelling different commands and questions at her.

They asked her to show her identification and she tried to remind them that her infant son was in the car.

The officers continued to interrogate her about her actions that day, where she had been and why she was choosing a physician in Lambertville and instead of a doctor in Trenton.

After a period of time, Williamson-Hughes' phone rang and the officers "became belligerent, verbally and mentally assaulting" her. They detained Williamson-Hughes and attempted a false arrest utilizing excessive force, according to her lawsuit.

Williamson-Hughes is represented by attorney Lawrence Popp. The city attorney for Lambertville declined to comment, as did the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office.

As a result of the officers' actions, Williamson-Hughes suffered severe mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, injury to her reputation, incurred medical expenses and household and maintenance expenses, according to her lawsuit. The injuries "are permanent in nature" and she "will continue to suffer such losses for the remainder of her life."

She is seeking compensatory damages for emotional distress and humiliation, including economic losses, special damages to be determined at trial, punitive damages, attorney fees and any further relief.

Her lawsuit claims the officers and the departments responsible for their efficiency failed to conduct sufficient training or supervision with respect to the limitations on the use of excessive force.

Williamson-Hughes is claiming the defendants tolerated excessive force and failed to uphold their duty to protect and serve the public by "carelessly and recklessly endangering" her safety.

Staff Writer Nick Muscavage: 908-243-6615; ngmuscavage@gannettnj.com