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A Charles County woman is suing a former Maryland State Trooper for more than $5 million for a June 2008 incident in which she said the trooper assaulted her during a routine traffic stop on Branch Avenue in Brandywine.

Esra Gurel, 37, of La Plata was pulled over by Forestville Trooper Tracy Freeman on June 12 of last year while driving to work at Marlo Furniture in Forestville, her Upper Marlboro attorney Alphonso Hearns said Sept. 24.

Gurel claims that when she was stopped at around 7:30 a.m. for failing to display her license plate, Freeman asked her to exit the vehicle and then handcuffed her and touched her "inappropriately," according to the suit, filed Sept. 24 in Prince George's County Circuit Court.

Gurel claims that she asked for a female trooper to come to the scene, and Freeman forced her to the ground repeatedly, cutting her legs, arms and face.

Freeman called an ambulance to the scene, and Gurel received treatment for her wounds before being taken to the Maryland State Police Barracks in Forestville, where she was charged with assault to a police officer and illegally covering her license plate.

Hearns said Gurel was held for 12 hours before being released. The charges were later dropped.

Hearns said Tuesday he has yet to see a video of the incident recorded on a dashboard camera in Freeman's patrol car.

He said Tuesday he not yet served Maryland State Police with the suit.

Freeman is no longer employed by the Maryland State Police. Spokeswoman Elena Russo had no information Friday on Freeman's age or where he lives. She declined to provide attorney information for Freeman or further comment.

Lt. Bonnie Morris, commander of the Forestville barracks, said she was not aware of the suit but confirmed that Freeman was a former trooper at the station. She said she could not comment on when he left Maryland State Police or the reason.