SOUTH BERWICK – A South Berwick man has reached a $50,000 settlement with the South Berwick Police Department and the state of Maine alleging his constitutional rights were violated during a traffic stop in 2004.

Daniel Royer, 44, accused Maine State Trooper Stephen Shea and South Berwick Officer Richard deRochemont of police brutality in a lawsuit filed in August 2005.

The case was settled out of court for $50,000, according to the Portsmouth Herald.

Royer was arrested July 17, 2004, when he was retrieving mail from his mailbox while behind the wheel of his girlfriend’s car outside of his home.

In his lawsuit, Royer described Shea as acting “psycho” and said he was “fearful” for his safety. Royer said the trooper ripped open the car door, grabbed him, hit him and ripped his shirt.

Royer claimed injuries left him unable to work full-time, and the case was scheduled for trial when the $50,000 settlement was reached.

Maine Assistant Attorney General William Fisher said Royer was charged with operating under the influence and assault on a police officer.

The charges were later dropped when the state did not provide Royer’s attorney with the required paperwork within an allotted time.

Fisher said the state paid Royer $45,000 and South Berwick’s police insurance provider paid $5,000.

Fisher said a judge ruled the officers used reasonable force, with the exception of Royer’s claim that Shea squeezed his genitals too hard during a pat-down when he was being arrested.

Attorney Brian Stern, who represented Royer, said Royer won his case with regard to false arrest and unreasonable force.

The settlement is significant, he said, because in misconduct cases “officers are given a lot of leeway.”