Alabama Police Hold Down, Beat Man after Car Chase Spurred By Pot Possession

Soft Secrets
11 Dec 2015

Montgomery, Alabama resident Steven Tucker released a video Monday, December 7 on social media that showed cops beating a suspect. The video depicts Roger Deffenbaugh, 52, being held down by multiple officers while another repeatedly punches him and yet another watches.


The arrest occurred after a lengthy street chase, which began when officers noticed marijuana and alcohol in Deffenbaugh's car and he allegedly refused to exit the vehicle. The incident occurred on U.S. 231 in front of the Wind Creek Casino and was filmed by Tucker from atop the casino's parking structure. Wetumpka Police Chief Danny Billingsley told the Montgomery Advertiser that all involved police officers had acted properly but that the police department would be investigating.

In response to the video, Billingsley said, "I think we're perfectly above-board." He added, "Of course, we're going to look into and make sure, but I think we're in good shape." The police chief revealed that Deffenbaugh was pulled over at around seven in the morning on Sunday. Responding officers reported the presence of Cannabis and a bottle of liquor in Deffenbaugh's car. "We asked him to step out of his car, but he refused to get out of the car and took off," Billingsley said.

"We got in pursuit and ran him all over 231 through a subdivision and wound up at the rear of the casino, where he rammed his car into a door out there and at that time, he was taken into custody." On the video, officers appear to be restraining Deffenbaugh, which Chief Billingsley says is because the suspect was resisting arrest.

The latter claims that department footage shows at least one officer attempting to handcuff Deffenbaugh. "He tried to run over one of my officers at one time," Billingsley insisted. "They were trying to get him handcuffed and he was resisting at that time on the ground." Now in the custody of the Elmore County Jail, Roger Deffenbaugh faces charges including attempting to elude police, first-degree criminal mischief, second-degree possession of marijuana, second-degree assault, possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal possession of prescription drugs. Watch the video below, courtesty of LiveLeak (volume warning):

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