SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Another woman has come forward with accusations of sexual misconduct against a former San Diego County Sheriff's deputy.
Jane Doe, as she's named in a federal lawsuit, claims Richard Fischer sexually assaulted her in September of 2017.
The woman claims she was driving home from her shift as a cocktail waitress, lost control of her vehicle, and crashed into two parked cars. Scared she'd been drinking and driving, she left the scene and called a male friend to drive her to her home in Escondido.
According to the lawsuit, as she and the man approached her home, they saw Escondido police cars parked outside. Officers detained her, and she admitted that she'd crashed her car and had been drinking and driving.
Police handcuffed the woman and told her she had to wait for San Diego County Sheriff's personnel to arrive. The lawsuit says the responding deputy was Richard Fischer.
According to the lawsuit, "Defendant Fischer asked Jane Doe if she had been drinking. She admitted that she had. As he drove Jane Doe back to the accident scene, he asked Jane Doe if either of the two males in the car with her were her boyfriend. Jane Doe answered that they were not. Defendant Fischer then responded, "Good, because you could do much better than them" or words to that effect."
The lawsuit says once at the accident scene, deputies questioned Doe about the crash. It says after about 20 minutes at the scene, Fischer asked her if she wanted a ride home.
The lawsuit says, "Jane Doe was confused when Defendant Fischer offered her a ride home because she told the officers she had been drinking and driving, she crashed into two parked cars, fled the scene of the accident, did not have a valid driver's license, her friend that picked her up got arrested, and there was an outstanding warrant for her arrest. Jane Doe assumed she was going to jail."
The woman says she accepted Fischer's offer for a ride home and got into the patrol car with her hands cuffed behind her back.
As they drove to her home, Fischer asked her how old she was, according to the lawsuit. "Deputy Fischer asked if she had gotten a birthday kiss. Jane Doe responded, "What?" Then Deputy Fischer asked Jane Doe if she wanted a birthday kiss. Jane Doe did not respond. Jane Doe became more confused. Jane Doe thought to herself, "What the he** is going on?," the lawsuit stated.
The lawsuit says once they got to her house, Fischer opened the rear door where she was sitting. It says, "He then said, "Here comes your favorite part," or words to that effect. He leaned across her to unbuckle her seatbelt. Deputy Fischer then started rubbing Jane Doe's legs as she sat handcuffed in the back of Deputy Fischer's patrol car. Jane Doe was wearing very short denim shorts. Therefore, Deputy Fischer was able to rub the skin of Jane Doe's upper thighs on both legs. As Deputy Fischer rubbed Jane Doe's thighs, he looked at her and said, "Your legs are really soft" or words to that effect. Jane Doe was still handcuffed and could not stop Deputy Fischer's advances."
The lawsuit claims once out of the vehicle Fischer stood behind her and started "rubbing her butt". It says, "As the handcuffs were still on, Deputy Fischer then reached between Jane Doe's legs and rubbed her genital area."
The woman then went into the house.
The lawsuit claims by the time Fischer met the woman, he had "sexually assaulted approximately 19 other women while on duty as a San Diego sheriff deputy."
The lawsuit challenges the County of San Diego's complaint process saying it allows very serious complaints to go unanswered, "because a proper system of complaint reporting would have resulted in an Internal Affairs investigation into the complaints, arguably as early as May 4, 2016. Deputy Fischer would have either been terminated then, or placed on administrative leave, as he is currently on, which would have saved Jane Doe and other situationally vulnerable women from his abuse of power as a San Diego sheriff deputy."
Fischer is currently facing numerous criminal charges, including sexual battery, false imprisonment, forced oral copulation, and assault by a public officer.
He has denied the allegations, telling 10News in September of 2018, "I just want to go on the record and say I vigorously deny these allegations. They are false, and I really look forward to my day in court to fight for myself."
According to court records, Fischer's criminal trial is set for September.
Attorneys for Fischer did not respond to a request for comment on this federal complaint.
