Let's clear this up. There is no link between dismissal of 2 citations and the owner's right to file a lawsuit in federal court. Go ahead and sue! No sane lawyer would take this case. You would need to prove that the ranger knew that pulling the charge cable would damage the vehicle and that this was unreasonable. The officer likely thought it was sticking and used the end to lever it out. Even if done knowingly, retaining the cable connecting the trespassing vehicle to the unauthorized use of public property was arguably reasonable, given the mobility of the offending vehicle and the need to preserve the evidence. Appropriating public property for personal use is theft although very petty. True, the ranger overreacted. Two citations were probably sufficient. Taking the cable was overkill, but not the basis for a lawsuit. Imagine telling a judge or jury, " I parked my Tesla illegally on the lawn at the post office and plugged into an outlet to get 'free' power. That ranger unplugged my car and broke my charging port. Please give me money!" When they stop laughing they will dump your claim and send you back where you came from. They may check your car for toilet paper taken from the public restroom and other "free" souvenirs. (As a retired judge, overeager police are irritating, but petty lawsuits from the entitled are a waste of expensive court resources.) Looks to me like the result was more than fair.