MEDINA, Ohio - A man has sued former Cleveland Indians outfielder Wil Cordero for $20,000, claiming he suffered neck, back and knee injuries in a highway accident with the player's sport utility vehicle.

Lawrence Teele wants the money for medical expenses, pain and anguish, according to the lawsuit filed Wednesday in Medina County Common Pleas Court.

Cordero's Hummer H2 rolled onto its side after crashing into the rear of Teele's SUV near the Interstate 71 and I-271 interchange in Medina County south of Cleveland.

Cordero, 32, now a member of the Florida Marlins, was charged in the Dec. 18 accident with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He has pleaded innocent. His trial is scheduled for Tuesday in Medina Municipal Court.

Municipal Judge Dale Chase denied a motion filed by Cordero's lawyer that argued the State Highway Patrol and Medina Township police should be prevented from testifying about the crash.

The lawyer, Larry Zukerman, said no officer saw Cordero driving and officers decided he was impaired after making him perform sobriety tests in the snow, according to court documents.

The lawyer said two other motorists spoke with Cordero after the crash and neither smelled alcohol on his breath, contradicting police accounts of the accident.