Warning: distressing images
The man was pulled over on suspicion of possessing drugs
A disabled Black man in Ohio was pulled over by the police and dragged out of his car despite telling them “I’m paraplegic”.
Clifford Owensby, 39, was stopped by local police in Dayton, Ohio last month after he was reportedly seen driving away from a house with suspected drug activity.
Owensby, who does not have the use of his legs, was asked to step out of his vehicle and after refusing multiple times, saying “I cannot step out of the car”, the officers proceed to yank him out from the vehicle by his hair and arms as he called for help.
Below is the bodycam footage of the incident that took place on September 30 2021, as well as a video taken by a disturbed onlooker:
"Clifford Owensby said he was out running errands without a wheelchair in the car…Body camera footage WHIO obtained through a public records request shows officers appeared to pull Owensby over for a traffic stop, noting his window tint at 20 percent."https://t.co/FnwCgT7M6k https://t.co/13NBROpCpa
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) October 8, 2021
As you can see, despite calling his friend to inform them that he has been pulled over and trying to explain that he needs assistance getting in and out of the car, the police officers decide to simply use brute force, dragging him by his hair as he screams “Ow!”.
While Owensby was arrested at the time and police say they found a bag of cash containing $22,450 (£16,500) in the car, he has not been charged with any drug-related offences, meaning that he was technically arrested for obstructing official business and resisting arrest.
In a statement released on Monday (October 11), Interim Police Chief Matt Carper said the department’s Professional Standards Bureau is investigating the incident, with a focus “to include the officers’ actions and any allegations of misconduct.”
Meanwhile, Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein insisted the department is committed “to completing a thorough review to ensure that we are held accountable to the public.”
Besides the disbelief over the event, Owensby said most of all: “I feel like they need to training the officers to deal with disabled people in a more efficient manner” and learn how to “treat them with respect.”
Related links:
- Gabby Petito died from strangulation, coroner confirms
- Hate crime: It takes police six times longer to deal with than normal crimes
- Teacher resigns after being accused of saying Black students would be her ‘field slaves’ without US constitution
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