A lawsuit blames Easton police for roughly handling a work-release inmate and improperly using a "spit hood" when he was arrested -- a tactic that the lawsuit says cut off his oxygen supply and led to his death.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court late last year by the mother of Andrew Ohl, an Upper Saucon Township man who died at age 25.

The federal lawsuit says Ohl was buying tobacco at the Easton Corner Store, 357 Northampton St. in Easton, when he argued with the manager on Nov. 25, 2014.

The suit says Ohl panicked when he couldn't find his money in his pockets and started yelling and cursing. As the manager hit a panic alarm to summon police, Ohl grabbed some items and threw them on the floor, the suit says.

Ohl fell to the floor and "wiggled" as he suffered a neurological event, according to the lawsuit.

The suit says Ohl cursed at a police officer as he got up off the floor. The officer punched Ohl so hard as he rose from the floor that he broke Ohl's jaw, according to the lawsuit. The legal response from the city says Ohl was the one fighting with police.

Police said Ohl appeared to be growling as he was held outside against the hood of a police cruiser. An autopsy determined he was high on synthetic marijuana.

Police put a fabric hood over Ohl's mouth because he was spitting blood. The lawsuit says the spitting was accidental but police say Ohl spit on purpose.

Police asked EMS workers to sedate Ohl, who then lay face-down with the spit guard on, the lawsuit says. Police maintain Ohl lay down on his side and that he needed to be sedated due to his "uncontrollable behaviors."

Ohl never regained consciousness. He died Jan. 15, 2015, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit blames Easton police for failing to remove the spit hood when blood pooled inside it. That was the recommendation of the manufacturer, the lawsuit says.

The cause of Ohl's death is officially undetermined. Contributing factors were toxicity from the synthetic marijuana, a lack of oxygen to his brain and cardiac arrest. The lawsuit says the cardiac arrest was brought on by the police restraint.

The police response denies that the officers' conduct had anything to do with Ohl's death. Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said an internal investigation cleared city officers of wrongdoing.

Besides the city and EMS staffers, defendants include Nik Public Safety and Safariland, the makers of the spit hood. In a court filing, attorney David Cohen said Nik went out of business before the lawsuit was filed. No one has proved so far that the mask used was made by Safariland, Cohen said. The company is based in Jacksonville, Florida.

The lawsuit was filed in November 2016 by Elizabeth Ohl on behalf of her son by attorney Richard Orloski, of Allentown. Representing the city is attorney David MacMain. Speros John Kokonos represents the Easton Emergency Squad and its members.

U.S. District Court Judge Edward G. Smith denied a request in January to have the lawsuit thrown out of court. A conference for the attorneys with Smith is scheduled for May.

Ohl was being held in the county work-release facility in 2014 after violating conditions of parole, according to court records.

He had a theft conviction in 2010 and a DUI in 2011, court papers say. He violated parole in 2014 when he was arrested on a drug charge in Lehigh County.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.