PRESCOTT, AZ — The City of Prescott and several top area officials will face a lawsuit unless they settle with a man who claims he was arrested and maliciously prosecuted based on false allegations from a local fire chief.
Attorneys for Matthew Massucci filed a notice of claim on January 13.
Unless officials settle for $2.5 million, the official legal demand states that Massucci will file a lawsuit against the City of Prescott, Prescott police Chief Amy Bonney, Prescott police Detective John Hanna, and Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority Deputy Chief Dustin Parra.
The City of Prescott declined to comment on the claim.
Throughout ABC15’s reporting on the case, Parra has repeatedly ignored requests for comment and interviews.
The case against Massucci began on July 16, 2023.
Parra's wife called 911, claiming Massucci had pulled a gun on their family outside a gas station.
Everyone left the scene before police arrived. Acting solely on the family's account, officials arrested Massucci days later and charged him with four felonies, which cumulatively carried decades of prison time.
It would take two years and surveillance video to eventually show it was Parra - intoxicated after his brother's funeral - who followed Massucci to his car and confronted him. That's when Massucci says he pulled a gun from his center.
Contact ABC15 Chief Investigator Dave Biscobing at Dave@ABC15.com.
