PARENTS, SUSPECT FILE CLAIM AGAINST CITY.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

The parents of a man charged with attempted murder during a confrontation with police filed a personal injury claim against the city Friday, just a month after settling a lawsuit brought by an officer wounded during the incident.

Bea and Robert Pedersen contend Simi Valley police unlawfully entered their Belgrave Court home in December and forced the confrontation with son Mark Pedersen, who is schizophrenic. The mother claims she is suffering from severe emotional distress and the couple faces mounting costs to care for and defend their son.

Also filing a personal injury claim Friday against the city and the four officers involved was Mark Pedersen, who sits in the Ventura County Jail awaiting trial Sept. 3. Pedersen claims the officers used excessive force and violated his civil rights ``by maliciously arresting him.''

``They want to hold the city accountable,'' said attorney Leon Gilbert, who is representing Mark Pedersen and his parents in the civil matter. ``They were so aggravated about this thing, the injuries to Mark, that they finally decided to do something.''

The two claims seek unspecified damages. The city has 45 days to respond, though attorneys on both sides said they expect the matter to reach Ventura Superior Court.

``Sometimes we settle them. We will be vigorously defending it,'' said City Attorney John Torrance.

Named in the claims are the city, Police Chief Randy Adams, and Officers Dave Raduziner, John Hughes, Ron Chambers and Rick Rinehart.

Last month, the Pedersens settled a lawsuit brought by Officer Raduziner that claimed that the confrontation forced Officer Hughes to fire the shots that wounded both Pedersen and Raduziner. The suit also claimed Pedersen's parents did not warn the officers their son was violent and unpredictable.

The State Farm Insurance Co. paid the $100,000 settlement from the homeowners policy held by Pedersen's parents over the couple's objections.

The officers went to the Pedersen home Dec. 18 after a neighbor reported that Mark Pedersen was making loud noises outside his home. Simi Valley police officials have said they sent patrol units to the Pedersen home at least 21 times before.

Officers Raduziner, Chambers and Hughes attempted to talk to Pedersen, who had locked himself in his bedroom, while Officer Rinehart was positioned outside the bedroom window. Police said they heard Pedersen moaning and, fearing he might be hurting himself, broke down the door.

Pedersen charged out the door with a pocket knife, Raduziner wrestled with him and Hughes fired twice. One bullet struck Pedersen in the chest and the other passed through his waist and hit Raduziner in the right thigh, shattering his leg.

Both claims state Mark Pedersen's mental illness worsened during the days before the incident because he refused to take medication.

Mark Pedersen's claim contends he ``was entitled to be free from any violence committed against him due to his mental disability.''

The claim on behalf of Pedersen's parents states Bea Pedersen never gave the officers permission to enter the home and ``coax'' Pedersen from his room. The three officers entered the home as she went to call county mental health workers. The claim also states Bea Pedersen never heard the moaning that prompted the officers to break down the locked bedroom door.

``The mother told them not to go in there. Mental Health was on their way, and in fact they got there after he was shot,'' Gilbert said.