An ex-employee at a Nebraska Planet Fitness location has gotten his former employer in legal trouble for his predatory behavior.
Jade Hawklen was arrested on Dec. 1 after he was caught filming a nude woman as she was using a light therapy machine at the gym. Hawklin allegedly used keys he had retained from his time as an employee to gain access to the room, and security footage showed him unlocking the door and fleeing from the room about a minute later. He was charged with unlawful intrusion, but additional charges may be forthcoming.
The Lincoln Journal-Star reports that police have now identified 14 women who were secretly filmed. Lincoln attorney Vince Powers told the paper that five women filed suit against Planet Fitness, and at least one more is expected to do the same.
The corporate owner and operator of the gym, as well as the owner of the gym’s tanning equipment, were all named in the first lawsuit Powers filed on behalf of one of the women, identified in the suit as Jane Doe, last month. The suit accuses the gym of negligence for not taking reasonable action to protect their clients, alleging that the defendants invaded the woman’s privacy and breached their contract with her by failing to provide a safe exercise environment.
Four more lawsuits followed, and Powers said more could be on the way.
