An Oil City man who was charged with homicide in 2019 and spent more than a year in jail before the case against him was dismissed has filed a civil suit in federal court against the City of Oil City and two city police officers who were involved in his arrest.
In April, Eric Beichner, 26, brought the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania against Oil City police Lt. Cory Ruditis and Regina DeLoe, who were the “primary officers” in the case, and the city.
The lawsuit says Beichner spent “nearly two years in jail facing criminal charges in a crime he did not commit.”
Kulling’s body was found by kayakers on May 28, 2018, about a half-mile south of the Oil City Marina in Cranberry Township.
Oil City police had filed the homicide charge against Beichner and had said they believed Beichner was involved in a fight with Kulling on the Wye bridge on Dec. 24, 2017, resulting in Kulling falling into the river.
On April 14, 2020, the charges against Beichner were dismissed before a trial “based on a complete lack of probable cause,” the suit said.
The suit requests a trial by jury as well as compensatory and punitive damages be awarded to Beichner and pre-judgment and post-judgment costs as well as any other relief he is entitled to.
Ruditis is still a lieutenant with the Oil City Police Department. DeLoe is no longer with the department.
Beichner is represented by Pittsburgh attorneys Paul Jubas and Max Petrunya. No attorneys are listed as representing Ruditis, DeLoe and the City of Oil City.
