In Lawsuit, Portland Chauffeur Says Comedian Katt Williams Ordered His German Shepherd to Attack Him

A Portland town-car driver sued comedian Katt Williams today after the stand-up comic allegedly assaulted him for not wanting to chauffeur his dog to Moda Center.

Williams pleaded not guilty to assault charges Monday afternoon.

In the lawsuit filed this afternoon in Multnomah County Circuit Court, chauffeur Wali Kanani claims Williams punched him in the face, broke his tooth and ordered his German shepherd to attack Kanani as he ran away.

Kanani was supposed to take Williams to a comedy showcase at Moda Center but instead the pair got into an argument after Williams insisted that the dog ride in the front seat of Kanani's GMC Yukon, according to the lawsuit.

Kanani says Williams called him a "piece of shit" and "white trash" before punching him and telling the dog to attack. Kanani says the dog chased him, but he managed to dash inside a door at the private airplane hangar where he picked Williams up.

Kanani says he locked himself inside the glass doors of the airport terminal. Williams followed him and stood just outside, "giving him menacing and threatening glares for several minutes," the lawsuit states.

Kanani wants $76,000 for assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Williams, 47, was arrested on Saturday and charged with fourth-degree assault. He pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge at his arraignment hearing on Monday afternoon.

Williams' court-appointed attorney in the criminal case, Stacey Reding, did not return a phone call after office hours on Monday.