Britney Sued for Squishing a Shutterbug

Paparazzo files suit against Spears for rolling over his foot with her car in 2007

By Natalie Finn May 30, 2009 12:26 AMTags
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If nothing else, Britney Spears has never been accused of stepping on anybody's toes.

A grieved paparazzo has sued the Circus star for rolling over his foot with her Mercedes convertible in 2007, a headline-grabber that was captured on video and was one of a trio of incidents in which a vehicle being driven by Spears left a tire tread on someone's tootsy, including one belonging to a sheriff's deputy.

Shutterbug Ricardo Mendoza, who was employed by TMZ at the time, did not press charges; instead, he filed a lawsuit Friday claiming assault, battery and negligence.

Spears "intentionally, deliberately, wantonly, maliciously and with a conscious disregard for the rights, health, and safety of others" drove her car in a way that caused her to "drive, push, ram and/or barrel through a crowd of people...severely injuring plaintiff," the complaint states.

He's asking for unspecified damages for the Oct. 18, 2007, incident, which occurred as he tried to get a shot of Spears as she was leaving the parking lot of a medical office in Beverly Hills.

No charges were ever filed in any of Spears' three rollover cases but, as hindsight is 20/20, it was a sure sign that something was amiss. Sure enough, Spears was hospitalized twice that following January, the second time resulting in her existing conservatorship.

(Originally published May 29, 2009, at 3:09 p.m. PT)

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