Thanks to everyone who has visited this site, but I will no longer be posting any more news about crimes being committed by authority figures. I can’t take the disappointment that I feel every time I post a story about a person, above all others, should know better than to commit a crime.
If anyone is interested... I am willing to sell this site. Just email me and we will discuss details.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Trooper Arturo Perez Charged with Using Excessive Force
A state trooper has retired and is being criminally investigated by the Texas Rangers after he allegedly used excessive force during a DWI arrest earlier this month on the Dallas North Tollway.
Department of Public Safety officials say that the incident involving Trooper Arturo Perez, 42, was captured on his in-car video camera. The Texas Rangers will turn their findings over to Dallas County prosecutors, according to a media release.
"The videotape is one of the most horrific videotapes I've ever seen," said Randall Isenberg, an attorney representing the woman arrested that night.
On Oct. 23, DPS Director Steven McCraw began the process to fire Perez over misconduct that included the excessive force incident, the release said. He retired before that process was complete.
Perez told officials that he encountered the 22-year-old Plano woman shortly before 3 a.m. on Oct. 11. The woman had been involved in an accident near Lemmon Avenue, smelled of alcohol and failed several field sobriety reports, he told officials.
He also told officials that she resisted him throughout the encounter and tried to walk away from him before he handcuffed her. He repeatedly told her to stop resisting or she would get hurt.
He told officials that as he escorted her to his squad car, she jerked away violently and threw her elbow up, so he jerked her toward the ground. She instead struck a concrete ledge, injuring her chin. He denied using excessive force.
"I did not intend for [the woman] to be injured in any way," he wrote.
Isenberg, a former prosecutor and state district judge, said she was not drunk and was not physically resisting Perez. He said she was trying to explain to him that a drunken friend whom she was taking home had jerked on the wheel, causing her to hit a concrete wall.
"The officer is handcuffing her and it's apparent that she's not happy with being arrested," Isenberg said. "She uses inappropriate verbal words to express her displeasure."
Isenberg, who has viewed the in-car video, said Perez pushes his handcuffed client chin-first into the ledge, causing her feet to leave the ground.
"She crumples to the ground like a sack of potatoes," Isenberg said. "Even if she's trying to resist, he doesn't need to use any force; all he needs to do is ask his partner standing three feet away to help him."
Perez joined the DPS in 2006 and previously worked for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for nearly 16 years.
Department of Public Safety officials say that the incident involving Trooper Arturo Perez, 42, was captured on his in-car video camera. The Texas Rangers will turn their findings over to Dallas County prosecutors, according to a media release.
"The videotape is one of the most horrific videotapes I've ever seen," said Randall Isenberg, an attorney representing the woman arrested that night.
On Oct. 23, DPS Director Steven McCraw began the process to fire Perez over misconduct that included the excessive force incident, the release said. He retired before that process was complete.
Perez told officials that he encountered the 22-year-old Plano woman shortly before 3 a.m. on Oct. 11. The woman had been involved in an accident near Lemmon Avenue, smelled of alcohol and failed several field sobriety reports, he told officials.
He also told officials that she resisted him throughout the encounter and tried to walk away from him before he handcuffed her. He repeatedly told her to stop resisting or she would get hurt.
He told officials that as he escorted her to his squad car, she jerked away violently and threw her elbow up, so he jerked her toward the ground. She instead struck a concrete ledge, injuring her chin. He denied using excessive force.
"I did not intend for [the woman] to be injured in any way," he wrote.
Isenberg, a former prosecutor and state district judge, said she was not drunk and was not physically resisting Perez. He said she was trying to explain to him that a drunken friend whom she was taking home had jerked on the wheel, causing her to hit a concrete wall.
"The officer is handcuffing her and it's apparent that she's not happy with being arrested," Isenberg said. "She uses inappropriate verbal words to express her displeasure."
Isenberg, who has viewed the in-car video, said Perez pushes his handcuffed client chin-first into the ledge, causing her feet to leave the ground.
"She crumples to the ground like a sack of potatoes," Isenberg said. "Even if she's trying to resist, he doesn't need to use any force; all he needs to do is ask his partner standing three feet away to help him."
Perez joined the DPS in 2006 and previously worked for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for nearly 16 years.
Detective Kevin Spellman Charged with Killing Pedestrian While Drunk Driving
One day after the arrest of an off-duty police detective on charges he killed a pedestrian while driving drunk, the authorities provided more details about the five-hour gap between the accident and the time the police were able to obtain a sample of the detective’s blood, saying the detective’s case was processed more quickly than is normal in such cases.
Prosecutors said the detective, Kevin C. Spellman, 42, a 22-year veteran of the force, was driving a Chevrolet Malibu that struck and killed Drana Nikac, 67, as she crossed Kingsbridge Avenue in the Bronx early on Friday morning. He was charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, criminally negligent homicide and driving while intoxicated.
It was the second time in five weeks that an off-duty police officer was charged with killing a civilian when driving drunk. On Sept. 27, Officer Andrew Kelly, 30, was arrested after the sport-utility vehicle he was driving struck Vionique Valnord-Kassime as she tried to flag a cab, the authorities said.
In that case, prosecutors said Officer Kelly refused a breath test at the scene, and a blood test seven hours later showed he had no alcohol in his system. He has pleaded not guilty.
Police officials said they worked quickly to process Detective Spellman’s case in the hours between the 6:30 a.m. accident, and noon, when they drew the blood sample. Steven Reed, a spokesman for the Bronx district attorney, said his office also moved promptly, and he disputed the idea that the time frame of more than five hours represented any kind of delay.
“Focusing solely on a time line in a vacuum is an oversimplification of what’s involved,” Mr. Reed said in a statement. “The mere notification of an incident is not the same as having all of the information that the law requires before a search warrant can be issued.”
On Friday morning, a sergeant at the scene told prosecutors that Detective Spellman’s speech was slurred, his eyes were glassy and he smelled of alcohol, according to the text of the criminal complaint. About 7:40 a.m., another officer heard Detective Spellman say that had not seen the victim, who “came out of nowhere,” the complaint said.
At 8 a.m., Detective Spellman refused a breath test at the scene, according to Paul J. Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman. Shortly afterward, police officials contacted prosecutors to make them aware of the case, Mr. Browne said.
Detective Spellman was taken to the 45th Precinct station house, and by 9:46 a.m., he was videotaped refusing a second, more sophisticated breath test, Mr. Browne said.
With that refusal, police officials and prosecutors set about trying to obtain the blood sample.
Shortly after 10 a.m., a sergeant who had been at the scene of the accident arrived at the Bronx district attorney’s office to work with prosecutors on an application for a court order. Mr. Reed said that by law, a police officer was required to request such an order in person.
In the meantime, officials with the Internal Affairs Bureau ordered Detective Spellman be taken to Jacobi Medical Center to await a blood test.
State Supreme Court Justice Harold Adler signed an order to take the detective’s blood at 11:39 a.m. Friday, said Kali Holloway, a spokeswoman for the State Office of Court Administration.
By noon, Detective Spellman’s blood was drawn, the authorities said.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/nyregion/31cop.html
Prosecutors said the detective, Kevin C. Spellman, 42, a 22-year veteran of the force, was driving a Chevrolet Malibu that struck and killed Drana Nikac, 67, as she crossed Kingsbridge Avenue in the Bronx early on Friday morning. He was charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, criminally negligent homicide and driving while intoxicated.
It was the second time in five weeks that an off-duty police officer was charged with killing a civilian when driving drunk. On Sept. 27, Officer Andrew Kelly, 30, was arrested after the sport-utility vehicle he was driving struck Vionique Valnord-Kassime as she tried to flag a cab, the authorities said.
In that case, prosecutors said Officer Kelly refused a breath test at the scene, and a blood test seven hours later showed he had no alcohol in his system. He has pleaded not guilty.
Police officials said they worked quickly to process Detective Spellman’s case in the hours between the 6:30 a.m. accident, and noon, when they drew the blood sample. Steven Reed, a spokesman for the Bronx district attorney, said his office also moved promptly, and he disputed the idea that the time frame of more than five hours represented any kind of delay.
“Focusing solely on a time line in a vacuum is an oversimplification of what’s involved,” Mr. Reed said in a statement. “The mere notification of an incident is not the same as having all of the information that the law requires before a search warrant can be issued.”
On Friday morning, a sergeant at the scene told prosecutors that Detective Spellman’s speech was slurred, his eyes were glassy and he smelled of alcohol, according to the text of the criminal complaint. About 7:40 a.m., another officer heard Detective Spellman say that had not seen the victim, who “came out of nowhere,” the complaint said.
At 8 a.m., Detective Spellman refused a breath test at the scene, according to Paul J. Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman. Shortly afterward, police officials contacted prosecutors to make them aware of the case, Mr. Browne said.
Detective Spellman was taken to the 45th Precinct station house, and by 9:46 a.m., he was videotaped refusing a second, more sophisticated breath test, Mr. Browne said.
With that refusal, police officials and prosecutors set about trying to obtain the blood sample.
Shortly after 10 a.m., a sergeant who had been at the scene of the accident arrived at the Bronx district attorney’s office to work with prosecutors on an application for a court order. Mr. Reed said that by law, a police officer was required to request such an order in person.
In the meantime, officials with the Internal Affairs Bureau ordered Detective Spellman be taken to Jacobi Medical Center to await a blood test.
State Supreme Court Justice Harold Adler signed an order to take the detective’s blood at 11:39 a.m. Friday, said Kali Holloway, a spokeswoman for the State Office of Court Administration.
By noon, Detective Spellman’s blood was drawn, the authorities said.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/nyregion/31cop.html
Sgt Chad Lakey Arrested for Sexual Battery on Child
An Osceola sheriff's sergeant arrested Friday on a domestic child-sex charge was moved Saturday to the Orange County Jail for his protection.
Chad Lakey, 33, who comes from a family of law officers, was arrested after a South Carolina woman told police he molested her daughter. The incident is said to have happened at Lakey's St. Cloud home in summer 2008. It was reported three weeks ago, St. Cloud Capt. Bret Dunn said.
Bail on the charge of domestic sexual battery of a child older than 12 is $2,500. Lakey, a former St. Cloud police detective, was placed on administrative leave while the Sheriff's Office conducts an internal investigation, department spokeswoman Twis Lizasuain said Saturday.
Lakey is married to St. Cloud police Sgt. Dhalyn Lakey, and his father, Jim Lakey, is a retired Kissimmee police sergeant who lost in the Republican primary for Osceola sheriff in 2004.
Officer David Reeves Charged with Armed Robbery
An ex-Riverside police officer accused of carrying out several off-duty armed robberies in Moreno Valley and Riverside while still on the force pleaded not guilty today to multiple felony charges.
David R. Reeves, 28, of Moreno Valley, is charged with four counts of armed robbery, two counts of attempted armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, attempted kidnapping, burglary, being in possession of stolen property and enhancements alleging the use of a gun in the commission of a felony.
He's being held in lieu of $500,000 bail at the Robert Presley jail in Riverside.
Reeves, along with his two lawyers, appeared before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Richard Fields, who set a felony settlement conference in the case for Dec. 12.
The defendant was arrested Oct. 14 after allegedly trying to rob an AutoZone on Sunnymead Boulevard in Moreno Valley. He was terminated from the Riverside police force, after seven years on the job, the day after his arrest.
"These alleged crimes are extremely serious," Riverside police Sgt. Jaybee Brennan said when Reeves was charged. "Quite frankly, if the allegations are true, nobody here will be standing by him. A lot of people are upset. It's a shock."
The first robbery occurred Oct. 13 at an AutoZone at 19486 Van Buren Blvd. in south Riverside.
The criminal complaint alleges that the following day, Reeves robbed three men, one of whom he allegedly tried to abduct, and then broke into and attempted to rob the AutoZone at 23510 Sunnymead Ave. in Moreno Valley, where he was apprehended.
He was carrying a stolen Itratec 9 mm handgun at the time of his arrest, according to court papers.
If convicted on all counts, Reeves could face more than 30 years in prison.
David R. Reeves, 28, of Moreno Valley, is charged with four counts of armed robbery, two counts of attempted armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, attempted kidnapping, burglary, being in possession of stolen property and enhancements alleging the use of a gun in the commission of a felony.
He's being held in lieu of $500,000 bail at the Robert Presley jail in Riverside.
Reeves, along with his two lawyers, appeared before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Richard Fields, who set a felony settlement conference in the case for Dec. 12.
The defendant was arrested Oct. 14 after allegedly trying to rob an AutoZone on Sunnymead Boulevard in Moreno Valley. He was terminated from the Riverside police force, after seven years on the job, the day after his arrest.
"These alleged crimes are extremely serious," Riverside police Sgt. Jaybee Brennan said when Reeves was charged. "Quite frankly, if the allegations are true, nobody here will be standing by him. A lot of people are upset. It's a shock."
The first robbery occurred Oct. 13 at an AutoZone at 19486 Van Buren Blvd. in south Riverside.
The criminal complaint alleges that the following day, Reeves robbed three men, one of whom he allegedly tried to abduct, and then broke into and attempted to rob the AutoZone at 23510 Sunnymead Ave. in Moreno Valley, where he was apprehended.
He was carrying a stolen Itratec 9 mm handgun at the time of his arrest, according to court papers.
If convicted on all counts, Reeves could face more than 30 years in prison.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Correction Officer Timothy Munroe Charged with Beating Two Inmates
A New York City correction officer has been charged with beating two inmates at Rikers Island in separate incidents.
Timothy Munroe pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with assault and falsifying records.
Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson says Munroe punched an inmate in the face and broke his nose as punishment for disruptive behavior on Dec. 12, 2008.
The inmate reported the alleged assault after he was taken to a clinic.
In another incident, Munroe is accused of punching another inmate in the face over an argument on Jan. 24. He was also accused of filing a report with fake details on the incident.
Munroe's attorney didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
He faces four years in prison, if convicted.
Timothy Munroe pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with assault and falsifying records.
Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson says Munroe punched an inmate in the face and broke his nose as punishment for disruptive behavior on Dec. 12, 2008.
The inmate reported the alleged assault after he was taken to a clinic.
In another incident, Munroe is accused of punching another inmate in the face over an argument on Jan. 24. He was also accused of filing a report with fake details on the incident.
Munroe's attorney didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
He faces four years in prison, if convicted.
Officer Ismael Ramirez Charged with Coercing Woman to Have Sex
A Medina police officer has been accused of coercing a woman to have sex to make charges against her go away.
Officer Ismael Gaston Garcia Ramirez is charged with official misconduct. The 30-year-old is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 12 in King County Superior Court.
Documents from Issaquah police say he pulled over the woman in November 2008 and found a small amount of marijuana in her car.
Prosecutors say he told her she was sexy and could make the charges go away.
About a week later they met at an Issaquah pub and he took her to his home where he is accused of having sex with her over her objections.
He asked the prosecutor to drop the marijuana charge because the amount was too small.
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More Information:
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/31/breaking_news/doc4aec7aa6cd447545672173.txt
Officer Ismael Gaston Garcia Ramirez is charged with official misconduct. The 30-year-old is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 12 in King County Superior Court.
Documents from Issaquah police say he pulled over the woman in November 2008 and found a small amount of marijuana in her car.
Prosecutors say he told her she was sexy and could make the charges go away.
About a week later they met at an Issaquah pub and he took her to his home where he is accused of having sex with her over her objections.
He asked the prosecutor to drop the marijuana charge because the amount was too small.
----------------------------
More Information:
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/31/breaking_news/doc4aec7aa6cd447545672173.txt
Trooper Casey Myers Arrested for DUI
What happens in Pullman obviously doesn't stay in Pullman.
A State Patrol trooper who works in King County is on administrative leave after being charged with drunken driving near Washington State University earlier this month.
Casey Myers, 26, was arrested for DUI shortly before 3 a.m. on Oct. 9, according to the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. According to the newspaper report, Myers was stopped by Pullman police for failing to stop at a stop sign.
State Patrol Capt. Jeff DeVere tells The Seattle Times that Myers was on vacation when he was stopped. When Myers returned to work on Oct. 16 he was placed on administrative leave with pay.
Myers has been with the State Patrol for four years, DeVere said. The trooper will remain on administrative leave until after the State Patrol completes its own investigation, DeVere said.
Myers was the arresting officer in several pending DUI cases in King County, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg. The cases won't likely be impacted by his arrest, Donohoe said.
A State Patrol trooper who works in King County is on administrative leave after being charged with drunken driving near Washington State University earlier this month.
Casey Myers, 26, was arrested for DUI shortly before 3 a.m. on Oct. 9, according to the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. According to the newspaper report, Myers was stopped by Pullman police for failing to stop at a stop sign.
State Patrol Capt. Jeff DeVere tells The Seattle Times that Myers was on vacation when he was stopped. When Myers returned to work on Oct. 16 he was placed on administrative leave with pay.
Myers has been with the State Patrol for four years, DeVere said. The trooper will remain on administrative leave until after the State Patrol completes its own investigation, DeVere said.
Myers was the arresting officer in several pending DUI cases in King County, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg. The cases won't likely be impacted by his arrest, Donohoe said.
Court Rules Fatal Tasering Wasn't Justified
The 11th Circuit rebuked Orlando officers for Tasering an unarmed man eight to 12 times in two minutes, causing his death. Judge Stanley Marcus said the repeated shocks were "grossly disproportionate to any threat posed and unreasonable under the circumstances."
According to an eye witness, Anthony Carl Oliver Sr. flagged down officer Lori Fiorino from a grassy median. She allegedly pulled out her Taser gun and asked him what was wrong. "They're shooting at me," he told her, and pointed across the street.
Fiorino tried to calm him down, and later said he had been "very fidgety."
The witness said Oliver wasn't belligerent and threatened or cursed at the officer.
Fiorino called for backup, and she and responding officer David Burk considered taking Oliver in for a psychiatric evaluation, because they thought he might be mentally unstable.
When Burk tried to get Oliver to cross the street, Oliver "struggled and pulled away from him," according to the ruling.
Without warning, Fiorino Tasered him in the stomach, bringing him to the ground. Once the five-second pulse wore off, she Tasered him again. The witness said Oliver never got up after the first Tasering, and never hit, punched, kicked or threatened the officers.
Oliver, who was lying on the hot asphalt, allegedly screamed that it was "too hot." Fioriono said she may have Tasered Oliver 11 or 12 times, explaining that she kept pulling the trigger until he stayed on the ground. Her Taser log showed eight times in two minutes, with each shock lasting five seconds.
After officers handcuffed Oliver, he began foaming at the mouth, according to Fiorino. She said she was unable to remove all the Taser prongs from his body.
Paramedics put him on a stretcher and loaded him into an ambulance, where he began to have a seizure. He was pronounced dead at Florida Hospital, a result of "being struck by a Taser," according to a forensic pathologist.
Amy Shirley Oliver filed suit on behalf of Oliver's estate, claiming the officers' use of excessive force had killed him.
Fiorino and Burk asked the district court to dismiss the case on the basis of qualified immunity, but the district court refused.
The Atlanta-based appeals court affirmed.
"The justification for the repeated use of Taser force, at least beyond an initial Taser shock, was minimal," Judge Marcus wrote.
Oliver was not accused or suspected of any crime, posed no immediate threat to officers or others, did not act belligerently, was not trying to flee, and
was "largely compliant and cooperative with officers," Marcus noted.
"We agreed with the district court's determination that the force employed was so utterly disproportionate to the level of force reasonably necessary that any reasonable officer would have recognized that his actions were unlawful," the court concluded.
According to an eye witness, Anthony Carl Oliver Sr. flagged down officer Lori Fiorino from a grassy median. She allegedly pulled out her Taser gun and asked him what was wrong. "They're shooting at me," he told her, and pointed across the street.
Fiorino tried to calm him down, and later said he had been "very fidgety."
The witness said Oliver wasn't belligerent and threatened or cursed at the officer.
Fiorino called for backup, and she and responding officer David Burk considered taking Oliver in for a psychiatric evaluation, because they thought he might be mentally unstable.
When Burk tried to get Oliver to cross the street, Oliver "struggled and pulled away from him," according to the ruling.
Without warning, Fiorino Tasered him in the stomach, bringing him to the ground. Once the five-second pulse wore off, she Tasered him again. The witness said Oliver never got up after the first Tasering, and never hit, punched, kicked or threatened the officers.
Oliver, who was lying on the hot asphalt, allegedly screamed that it was "too hot." Fioriono said she may have Tasered Oliver 11 or 12 times, explaining that she kept pulling the trigger until he stayed on the ground. Her Taser log showed eight times in two minutes, with each shock lasting five seconds.
After officers handcuffed Oliver, he began foaming at the mouth, according to Fiorino. She said she was unable to remove all the Taser prongs from his body.
Paramedics put him on a stretcher and loaded him into an ambulance, where he began to have a seizure. He was pronounced dead at Florida Hospital, a result of "being struck by a Taser," according to a forensic pathologist.
Amy Shirley Oliver filed suit on behalf of Oliver's estate, claiming the officers' use of excessive force had killed him.
Fiorino and Burk asked the district court to dismiss the case on the basis of qualified immunity, but the district court refused.
The Atlanta-based appeals court affirmed.
"The justification for the repeated use of Taser force, at least beyond an initial Taser shock, was minimal," Judge Marcus wrote.
Oliver was not accused or suspected of any crime, posed no immediate threat to officers or others, did not act belligerently, was not trying to flee, and
was "largely compliant and cooperative with officers," Marcus noted.
"We agreed with the district court's determination that the force employed was so utterly disproportionate to the level of force reasonably necessary that any reasonable officer would have recognized that his actions were unlawful," the court concluded.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Chief Randy Rizzo Arrested for Public Intoxication
Atlantic Beach police chief Randy Rizzo admitted he drank ''too many beers'' and that led to his arrest Wednesday morning by Horry County officers outside a pool hall.
Rizzo, 39, of Conway was charged with public disorderly/public intoxication and was later was suspended from his position, according to Town Manager William Booker.
''That officer had every right to charge me,'' Rizzo said. ''I'm guilty. I'm not going to deny the fact. I'll pay like anyone else.''
Rizzo was arrested soon after the officer, Scott Calderwood, saw Rizzo drive his truck in a parking lot. Rizzo said he told the officer he was moving his vehicle to a safer place and had called his wife to pick him up, but got a verbal altercation with another officer that led to his arrest.
''I was trying to be a good Samaritan and not do anything illegal,'' Rizzo said. ''Unfortunately the officer got upset with me.''
Rizzo was booked into J. Reuben Long Detention Center at 3:04 a.m. and released at 4:03 a.m. after posting $262 bail.
Booker said he spoke with Rizzo on Wednesday morning before suspending him.
''He told me he was guilty of having too much to drink,'' Booker said. ''He said he was guilty. People here are pretty disappointed this happened.''
Atlantic Beach Town Councilman Donnell Thompson said ''wow'' when he learned of Rizzo's arrest.
''I would expect Booker to make the right decision,'' Thompson said of Rizzo's future.
It was not immediately known if Rizzo will be paid during the suspension, Booker said. ''I'm leaning toward it being unpaid,'' Booker said.
Booker said he plans to talk with Horry County officials before determining the length of the suspension.
''They just have to determine if I can do this job because of this charge,'' Rizzo said.
Despite telling officers at the scene he was drinking, Rizzo was not given a field sobriety test at the scene, said Sgt. Robert Kegler of Horry County police.
''The officer made the decision he made,'' Kegler said. ''Not every traffic stop is the same.''
The suspension leaves Atlantic Beach with three police officers. Booker said he would speak to the officers before determining if the town needs to ask Horry County police for patrol assistance.
Calderwood reported he saw Rizzo walking from Break Room Billiards to the parking lot of the Food Lion at the intersection of S.C. 544 and Myrtle Ridge Road at 1:45 a.m., according to an incident report.
Rizzo was ''extremely unsteady on his feet and appeared almost to fall,'' the report shows.
Rizzo entered a Dodge Ram truck near the Sonic on S.C. 544 when Calderwood approached Rizzo. Rizzo closed the truck door, started the vehicle and drove it to Break Room Billiards, the officer reported.
Calderwood reported that he asked Rizzo if he had too much to drink and Rizzo replied, ''No.''
Rizzo began slurring his words and told the officer he had been drinking.
Rizzo asked Calderwood twice if he knew who he was and the officer replied that he did and that ''it didn't matter,'' the report shows.
The report shows that Rizzo told Calderwood he would call his wife to pick him up, but later Rizzo got back in the truck and drove past the officer's vehicle.
Rizzo disputes he was in his vehicle twice and that's what led to the argument and his arrest.
''I didn't get in my vehicle twice,'' Rizzo said. ''I may have gone out once to get cigarettes or something.''
Rizzo said he was moving his truck closer to Break Room Billiards because he felt it would be safer there overnight.
The officer reported that he stopped the vehicle in the parking lot and that Rizzo attempted to exit. Rizzo was asked if he was carrying a ''duty weapon,'' the report shows.
The officer's supervisor arrived and Rizzo became ''loud and upset'' before he was arrested.
Calderwood reported that Rizzo asked ''why I was doing this to him.''
''I would have charged me just like anyone else,'' Rizzo said.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Officer Travis Dowell Accused of Choking Daughter
A Tippecanoe County sheriff's officer accused of choking his daughter in a February incident has voluntarily resigned as a sergeant and will be reassigned as a deputy, Sheriff Tracy Brown said today.
The move came as a result of a meeting Monday that Travis Dowell had with Brown.
Brown said he is going to submit a formal letter to the sheriff's office's merit commission next week during the commission's regular meeting.
Dowell last Friday signed a diversion agreement in Tippecanoe Superior Court 5 that could result in all charges against him being dropped as long as he meets certain conditions, which include having him stay out of trouble for a year.
Officers were called to Dowell's Clarks Hill home on Feb. 4 after reports of a physical altercation between Dowell and his then 18-year-old daughter, Tara Dowell. The charges against Travis Dowell stemmed from an investigation by the Indiana State Police.
After the February incident, Dowell was demoted from lieutenant to sergeant and was assigned to administrative duties.
Brown said Dowell will continue to work in an administrative job at the Tippecanoe County Jail for the next three to four weeks until he is assigned to a deputy's role.
Brown said the drop in pay from a lieutenant to a deputy is about $7,000 a year.
The move came as a result of a meeting Monday that Travis Dowell had with Brown.
Brown said he is going to submit a formal letter to the sheriff's office's merit commission next week during the commission's regular meeting.
Dowell last Friday signed a diversion agreement in Tippecanoe Superior Court 5 that could result in all charges against him being dropped as long as he meets certain conditions, which include having him stay out of trouble for a year.
Officers were called to Dowell's Clarks Hill home on Feb. 4 after reports of a physical altercation between Dowell and his then 18-year-old daughter, Tara Dowell. The charges against Travis Dowell stemmed from an investigation by the Indiana State Police.
After the February incident, Dowell was demoted from lieutenant to sergeant and was assigned to administrative duties.
Brown said Dowell will continue to work in an administrative job at the Tippecanoe County Jail for the next three to four weeks until he is assigned to a deputy's role.
Brown said the drop in pay from a lieutenant to a deputy is about $7,000 a year.
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Officer Candi Perry Indicted for Misconduct & False Reporting
A metro police officer has been suspended without pay after being indicted by a Marion County grand jury.
The officer in question is Community Police Officer Candi Perry.
"She has been indicted on an official misconduct which is a D felony and a false reporting which is an E misdemeanor," said Helen Marchal, chief of staff to the Marion County Prosecutor.
Charges date back to a June homicide investigation with questions about whether Perry had a relationship with a suspect or informant and what she may or may not have known.
"The allegations that were considered by the grand jury included information that Miss Perry impeded a homicide investigation by giving false information to another officer," Marchal said.
Perry was well known as a community officer. She made Officer of the Year back in 2008. She also spoke on WIIH-TV in September of '07.
Backing has grown for Officer Perry. She has a Web page devoted to her. It's called, ‘Please Support Officer Candi Perry.’ It reads; she states she has done nothing wrong. Please help her get back on the beat so she may make a difference in the neighborhood.
24-Hour News 8 tracked down her attorney, former public safety director Robert Turner who said Perry was helping in the investigation and now is being set up.
"What they really wanted her to do was identify the witness, he comes in, homicide then goes out and arrests the suspect, so that they can announce to you guys that we busted this case, not this Spanish liaison lady, but we did it because we're crack detectives and she made 'em mad and they indicted her," said Turner.
No word yet on a further court date for Perry.
The officer in question is Community Police Officer Candi Perry.
"She has been indicted on an official misconduct which is a D felony and a false reporting which is an E misdemeanor," said Helen Marchal, chief of staff to the Marion County Prosecutor.
Charges date back to a June homicide investigation with questions about whether Perry had a relationship with a suspect or informant and what she may or may not have known.
"The allegations that were considered by the grand jury included information that Miss Perry impeded a homicide investigation by giving false information to another officer," Marchal said.
Perry was well known as a community officer. She made Officer of the Year back in 2008. She also spoke on WIIH-TV in September of '07.
Backing has grown for Officer Perry. She has a Web page devoted to her. It's called, ‘Please Support Officer Candi Perry.’ It reads; she states she has done nothing wrong. Please help her get back on the beat so she may make a difference in the neighborhood.
24-Hour News 8 tracked down her attorney, former public safety director Robert Turner who said Perry was helping in the investigation and now is being set up.
"What they really wanted her to do was identify the witness, he comes in, homicide then goes out and arrests the suspect, so that they can announce to you guys that we busted this case, not this Spanish liaison lady, but we did it because we're crack detectives and she made 'em mad and they indicted her," said Turner.
No word yet on a further court date for Perry.
Officer Carmine Giarrusso Arrested for False Report
The police have charged a former Cranston police officer with falsely reporting a crime after he complained that an acquaintance struck him with a truck at the intersection of Vine Street and George Waterman Road.
The police said they decided to arrest Carmine Giarrusso, 47, of 38 Lyman Ave., after concluding that he had not been hit by a truck driven by Richard D’Abate as alleged, but intentionally stepped in front of D’Abate’s stopped truck.
D’Abate, 44, of 9 Acorn St., told the police that Giarrusso had been feuding with him for years, going back to when Giarrusso had an affair with D’Abate’s then-wife. He said that when Giarrusso saw the truck at the intersection around 8:30 a.m. Sunday, he intentionally stepped in front of the stopped vehicle and complained that D’Abate had hit him.
An argument ensued, D’Abate said, and when Giarrusso realized that D’Abate was taking pictures, Giarrusso went back to the truck and slapped his hands on the hood. When the arrived, Giarrusso repeatedly urged them to check the hood for fingerprints, saying it would prove that he was hit and that he had to place his hands on the hood to brace himself from the impact. Giarrusso also told police that in addition to causing him pain in his shoulder, hip and knee, D’Abate’s vehicle also struck Giarrusso’s girlfriend, Lorna Casali, who was walking with him, and had also hit her dog.
The police said Giarrusso gestured frequently during their interview and did not act like someone who had just been hit by a truck. In addition, the police said the dusty truck did not show any scuff marks that indicated it had hit something. They said D’Abate’s version was supported by a photo he had taken showing Giarrusso slapping his hands on the truck, and by a statement from another witness. After Giarrusso signed a formal complaint at the police station, he was arrested on charges of making a false report of a crime. He was released later on $1,000 personal recognizance.
The police said they decided to arrest Carmine Giarrusso, 47, of 38 Lyman Ave., after concluding that he had not been hit by a truck driven by Richard D’Abate as alleged, but intentionally stepped in front of D’Abate’s stopped truck.
D’Abate, 44, of 9 Acorn St., told the police that Giarrusso had been feuding with him for years, going back to when Giarrusso had an affair with D’Abate’s then-wife. He said that when Giarrusso saw the truck at the intersection around 8:30 a.m. Sunday, he intentionally stepped in front of the stopped vehicle and complained that D’Abate had hit him.
An argument ensued, D’Abate said, and when Giarrusso realized that D’Abate was taking pictures, Giarrusso went back to the truck and slapped his hands on the hood. When the arrived, Giarrusso repeatedly urged them to check the hood for fingerprints, saying it would prove that he was hit and that he had to place his hands on the hood to brace himself from the impact. Giarrusso also told police that in addition to causing him pain in his shoulder, hip and knee, D’Abate’s vehicle also struck Giarrusso’s girlfriend, Lorna Casali, who was walking with him, and had also hit her dog.
The police said Giarrusso gestured frequently during their interview and did not act like someone who had just been hit by a truck. In addition, the police said the dusty truck did not show any scuff marks that indicated it had hit something. They said D’Abate’s version was supported by a photo he had taken showing Giarrusso slapping his hands on the truck, and by a statement from another witness. After Giarrusso signed a formal complaint at the police station, he was arrested on charges of making a false report of a crime. He was released later on $1,000 personal recognizance.
Officer Candi Perry Charged with Giving False Report
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Officer Candi Perry is a former officer of the year, speaks Spanish fluently and is accused of official misconduct and false reporting during a homicide investigation.
It was on June 25th that a homeless man - Herman Baker - was found shot to death in an alley near west 32nd Street and Rader Street. Officer Perry was on duty and her attorney claims was simply trying to shield a potential witness from a potential suspect. However, the grand jury indictment alleges Perry gave false information to another officer.
Perry's lawyer argues she isn't a homicide detective and any mistakes she made were innocent and unintentional.
There is no word of arrests in the Clark murder case.
Perry was arrested Tuesday and released last night on $10,000 bond. She faces a November 4th court date.
---------------------------------
http://www.wibc.com/news/Story.aspx?id=1159257
It was on June 25th that a homeless man - Herman Baker - was found shot to death in an alley near west 32nd Street and Rader Street. Officer Perry was on duty and her attorney claims was simply trying to shield a potential witness from a potential suspect. However, the grand jury indictment alleges Perry gave false information to another officer.
Perry's lawyer argues she isn't a homicide detective and any mistakes she made were innocent and unintentional.
There is no word of arrests in the Clark murder case.
Perry was arrested Tuesday and released last night on $10,000 bond. She faces a November 4th court date.
---------------------------------
http://www.wibc.com/news/Story.aspx?id=1159257
Officer Reginald Fisher Arrested Again
A suspended Atlanta police officer indicted for shooting an unarmed man was arrested a second time while out on bond Wednesday.
Officer Reginald Fisher was arrested a second time in Clayton County. Fisher was charged with misdemeanor battery in connection with a domestic incident.
Police said the mother of Fisher's child went to the precinct and accused Fisher of refusing to let her leave his house. The woman said Fisher grabbed her arm and wrist and left bruises.
On Tuesday, Fisher was indicted by a grand jury on charges that he allegedly shot an unarmed Tramaine Miller back in May. Miller was struck in the face and has undergone numerous surgeries to remove the bullet fragments.
The shooting happened on May 5 at the Cityview at Burney Park apartments. Officer Fisher said Miller was acting suspicious and wouldn't obey commands.
Officer Reginald Fisher was arrested a second time in Clayton County. Fisher was charged with misdemeanor battery in connection with a domestic incident.
Police said the mother of Fisher's child went to the precinct and accused Fisher of refusing to let her leave his house. The woman said Fisher grabbed her arm and wrist and left bruises.
On Tuesday, Fisher was indicted by a grand jury on charges that he allegedly shot an unarmed Tramaine Miller back in May. Miller was struck in the face and has undergone numerous surgeries to remove the bullet fragments.
The shooting happened on May 5 at the Cityview at Burney Park apartments. Officer Fisher said Miller was acting suspicious and wouldn't obey commands.
University Officer Webster Simmons Charged with Rape and Sodomy
A Duke University police officer is arrested here in Houston county, accused of raping and sodomizing a female acquaintance.
37-year-old Webster Simmons of Rougemont, North Carolina is charged with first degree rape and sodomy.
The Houston County Sheriff's office says Simmons was in Dothan visiting family this past weekend.
Authorities say Simmons drugged his victim at a local bar, used bondage to subdue her, and then raped her in his truck.
Investigators say they found a whip, handcuffs, and other sexual bondage items in Simmons' car.
The victim claims she woke up during the rape, was handcuffed and had a gag in her mouth.
“This is not the type of rapes and sodomies that we commonly see with this type of bondage and this type of material that have been used during the commission of the rape. So it does disturb us, it makes us wonder if this individual has committed these types of crimes anywhere in the United States where may have been,” said Houston Co. Sheriff Andy Hughes.
Simmons has been suspended by Duke University Police.
His bond is set at $120,000 dollars.
------------------------------
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/161330.html
37-year-old Webster Simmons of Rougemont, North Carolina is charged with first degree rape and sodomy.
The Houston County Sheriff's office says Simmons was in Dothan visiting family this past weekend.
Authorities say Simmons drugged his victim at a local bar, used bondage to subdue her, and then raped her in his truck.
Investigators say they found a whip, handcuffs, and other sexual bondage items in Simmons' car.
The victim claims she woke up during the rape, was handcuffed and had a gag in her mouth.
“This is not the type of rapes and sodomies that we commonly see with this type of bondage and this type of material that have been used during the commission of the rape. So it does disturb us, it makes us wonder if this individual has committed these types of crimes anywhere in the United States where may have been,” said Houston Co. Sheriff Andy Hughes.
Simmons has been suspended by Duke University Police.
His bond is set at $120,000 dollars.
------------------------------
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/161330.html
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Officer Anthony Molinario Arrested for Burglary
A Jean Lafitte police officer has been arrested after allegedly burglarizing a car, said Sheriff Newell Normand.
Normand said 27-year-old Anthony Molinario, of 1120 St. Marie in Luling, faces a charge of simple burglary of a vehicle.
Witnesses, who had parked their vehicle behind the Town Hall and then went for a walk, returned to their vehicle to find a suspect wearing a police uniform inside their vehicle. Normand said the witnesses saw the suspect leave in a reddish colored Jeep SUV. After recording the license plate, Normand said they notified the Sheriff’s Department.
Normand said after an investigation, deputies identified Molinario as the suspect. Molinario denied the accusation, but “showed signs of deception” during a polygraph examination, Normand said.
Molinario is now in the Jefferson Parish correctional center.
Normand said 27-year-old Anthony Molinario, of 1120 St. Marie in Luling, faces a charge of simple burglary of a vehicle.
Witnesses, who had parked their vehicle behind the Town Hall and then went for a walk, returned to their vehicle to find a suspect wearing a police uniform inside their vehicle. Normand said the witnesses saw the suspect leave in a reddish colored Jeep SUV. After recording the license plate, Normand said they notified the Sheriff’s Department.
Normand said after an investigation, deputies identified Molinario as the suspect. Molinario denied the accusation, but “showed signs of deception” during a polygraph examination, Normand said.
Molinario is now in the Jefferson Parish correctional center.
Sgt Eric Janik Arrested for Pointing his Weapon in Haunted House
Authorities in Maryland said an off-duty police officer was arrested for pulling his handgun and pointing it at the chest of an actor in a haunted house.
Baltimore County police said Baltimore Police Department Sgt. Eric Michael Janik, 36, pointed his gun at Michael Brian Morrison, 32, who was dressed as "Leatherface" from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," while walking through "The House of Screams" in Essex with a female city police officer and his 9-year-old daughter just after 10 p.m. Sunday, the Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday.
County police said Janik, who smelled of alcohol and was slurring his speech after the incident, initially denied pulling out his handgun during the haunted house tour but later told officers he drew the weapon and pointed it at the ground. However, multiple witnesses said he pointed the gun at Morrison.
Janik, who was suspended from the police department, was charged with first- and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. He was released on $25,000 bail.
Baltimore County police said Baltimore Police Department Sgt. Eric Michael Janik, 36, pointed his gun at Michael Brian Morrison, 32, who was dressed as "Leatherface" from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," while walking through "The House of Screams" in Essex with a female city police officer and his 9-year-old daughter just after 10 p.m. Sunday, the Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday.
County police said Janik, who smelled of alcohol and was slurring his speech after the incident, initially denied pulling out his handgun during the haunted house tour but later told officers he drew the weapon and pointed it at the ground. However, multiple witnesses said he pointed the gun at Morrison.
Janik, who was suspended from the police department, was charged with first- and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. He was released on $25,000 bail.
Deputy Jessie Alvarez Arrested for Drunk Driving
A Kern County sheriff's deputy is facing drunken driving charges after he was arrested when he stopped while off-duty to assist at a traffic accident.
A California Highway Patrol spokeswoman says after Jessie Alvarez stopped at the accident early Friday on Interstate 5 in Buttonwillow, the CHP officer on the scene suspected the deputy was under the influence of alcohol.
CHP Officer Maria Pagano says the 30-year-old Alvarez was cited and and released on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken driving after being given a breath sample.
Sheriff Donny Youngblood confirmed that Alvarez is the subject of an administrative investigation, but he said he could release no further information.
———
Information from: The Bakersfield Californian, http://www.bakersfield.com
A California Highway Patrol spokeswoman says after Jessie Alvarez stopped at the accident early Friday on Interstate 5 in Buttonwillow, the CHP officer on the scene suspected the deputy was under the influence of alcohol.
CHP Officer Maria Pagano says the 30-year-old Alvarez was cited and and released on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken driving after being given a breath sample.
Sheriff Donny Youngblood confirmed that Alvarez is the subject of an administrative investigation, but he said he could release no further information.
———
Information from: The Bakersfield Californian, http://www.bakersfield.com
Officer Reginald Fisher Charged with Shooting Man in Face
An Atlanta police officer accused of shooting a man in the face while he was off-duty has been indicted by a Fulton County grand jury.
Reginald Fisher was charged Tuesday on two counts of aggravated assault, aggravated battery and violation of oath for allegedly shooting Tramaine Miller at a southeast Atlanta apartment building.
Authorities said Fisher was working an unauthorized off-duty security job when he encountered the victim on the night of May 5.
Miller, who was unarmed, was shot in the lower left jaw.
The 27-year-old was not involved in any illegal activity, as Fisher suspected, but was at the apartment to help his quadriplegic aunt take her medicine.
---------------------------
http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=136848&catid=3
Reginald Fisher was charged Tuesday on two counts of aggravated assault, aggravated battery and violation of oath for allegedly shooting Tramaine Miller at a southeast Atlanta apartment building.
Authorities said Fisher was working an unauthorized off-duty security job when he encountered the victim on the night of May 5.
Miller, who was unarmed, was shot in the lower left jaw.
The 27-year-old was not involved in any illegal activity, as Fisher suspected, but was at the apartment to help his quadriplegic aunt take her medicine.
---------------------------
http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=136848&catid=3
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