County

Already facing felony charges of extortion, impersonating a public official and receiving stolen property (charges that stem from his allegedly ticketing cars illegally parked in disabled spaces and then pocketing the $280 penalty), Lakota filed seven new cases in Superior Court Monday, all alleging that a slew of Chico businesses—most of them small businesses—didn’t provide enough disabled parking.

Lakota didn’t return phone calls asking for comment, but he has denied that he did anything wrong by issuing the bogus tickets.

Lakota, a self-appointed disabled-rights activist, alleged in his most recent suits that the businesses allowed customers to illegally park in the spaces or blocked the spots with company cars. The following companies were named as defendants: Chuck Patterson Toyota, Wittmeier Automotive (which is named as a defendant in two separate suits), Earthgrains Baking Company, Active Office Equipment and Martin-Brower Inc.

Lakota, who is representing himself in the suits, asks for damages of $20,000 for each of them.

Lakota, who doesn’t use a wheelchair, is no stranger to the Butte County court system. He sued 30 local small businesses three years ago, alleging that they didn’t provide enough disabled parking spaces. He later dropped the suits, court records show.

He’s also sued the city of Oroville and Butte County, alleging non-compliance with the 12-year-old Americans with Disabilities Act. As a protest to the latter, he chained himself to the door of the county courthouse to raise attention for his cause.