Clearfield County District Attorney Ryan P. Sayers contends he did nothing improper in his handling of a criminal case that resulted in a year behind bars for am African-American truck driver of Jamaican descent, who was eventually found not guilty of aggravated assault.

The truck driver, Jovaughn Matthie of Philadelphia, arrived at the Domtar Paper Company in Sandy Township near Dubois about 5 p.m. Oct. 30, 2023, to pick up a load.

Having never before been to the company, he initially went to the wrong area.

He was told he was in the receiving department and that he needed to go to the shipping area at the front of the building.

Matthie then took his rig to the front of the building, where a verbal confrontation occurred with a company employee.

According to Matthie, the argument became so heated that the employee “punched him in the mouth.”

The fray turned into a fist fight, with both men hitting and kicking at each other.

The employee fell down but stood up and allegedly came at Matthie, who left the facility rather than continue the fight.

The employee went to the Penn Highlands Dubois Hospital Emergency Room, where he received treatment for a cut of the left eyebrow and several fractured teeth.

Later that night, police took Matthie into custody, charging him with simple assault, harassment and aggravated assault.

Bail was set at $50,000.

When Matthie could not post the bail, he was placed in the Clearfield County Prison.

He argued that he was not the aggressor when the fight began and that he is the one who broke off the confrontation.

Despite those extenuating circumstances, he was not granted lower bail and he remained behind bars until he was tried.

On Oct. 4, 2024, a jury deliberated only 40 minutes before finding him not guilty.

Matthie represented himself during his criminal trial.

In August, Matthie, through Philadelphia attorney Albert J. Michell, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit naming Clearfield’s district attorney and Clearfield County as defendants.

He is also suing Sandy Township and the arresting officer, Travis Goodman.

Matthie has charged in his civil lawsuit that his arrest was a malicious prosecution under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution.

His lawsuit also charges that he was the victim of selective prosecution, citing multiple cases in which the district attorney “treated him differently than other similarly situated people who were not members of a protected class.”

His lawsuit cites several cases in which white defendants were released on low or unsecured bail after being involved in a fist fight.

Matthie also charges that Clearfield County and Sandy Township have a history of over-charging individuals based on their race.

He also noted that his requests for lower bail were rejected by the DA.

The civil complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Johnstown stated the case involved a fight in which Matthie “simply defended himself with his fists.”

On Wednesday, the DA’s office responded to the charges, stating “Sayers does not file charges, arrest or set bail.”

And, in his answer to the lawsuit, filed by Blair County attorney Mary Lou Maierhofer, he points out that Matthie could have obtained his release by contacting a bail bondsman, a situation in which he would have had to come up with, at the most, $5,000 instead of the entire $50,000.

“It is specifically denied that Sayers was involved with any investigating and/or administrating under the facts and circumstances of this litigation,” his answer stated.

It continued, noting, “it is specifically denied Sayers did anything improper under the circumstances and further such conduct will be protected under the absolute immunity and/or the qualified immunity doctrines.”

Sayers denies that Matthie was the victim of a selective prosecution based on race, and he asked that the federal judge presiding in the case — District Judge Stephanie L. Haines — dismiss the lawsuit.

Attorney Maierhofer represents the DA and Clearfield County.

Sandy Township and its officers are represented by attorney Dean F. Falavolito of Carnegie, which has yet to file an answer.

Matthie is asking for unspecified money damages (including punitive damages) and attorney fees.