Man sues cops after sting arrest

CHICAGO, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A Chicago man is suing city police after he was arrested for allegedly soliciting a prostitute from his car while he was with his wife and daughter.

Erasmo Palacios said he was on his way to breakfast with his wife, Rocio, and their 22-year-old daughter when Rocio spotted a woman waving her arms who appeared to be in trouble, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Thursday.

He said the family pulled over to offer assistance only to find the woman wasn't in distress, she was a prostitute -- rather, a female cop posing as a prostitute.

Chicago Police swarmed the car and put Erasmo Palacios in handcuffs. He was kept in custody for eight hours while the family's car was impounded.

But the prostitute solicitation charges filed against Palacios were later dropped, the newspaper said, and Palacios is suing the city and officers involved in his arrest, claiming his civil rights were violated.

"I'm so lucky I was with my wife -- imagine if I had to try to tell her and she wasn't with me," he told the Sun-Times. "She'd never believe me. Never."

The city is charging more than $4,700 in towing and storage fees to return Palacios' car.