Thursday, August 3, 2006

Pistons' Center Dale Davis Tasered By Police

                  

from The Detroit News Online

Pistons reserve center Dale Davis was arrested early Tuesday morning in Miami Beach, Fla., after an altercation with police that ended with a Taser shot, the Detroit News is reporting.

Davis has been charged with four misdemeanors: disorderly conduct, resisting arrest without violence, assault and assault of a law enforcement officer.

Each count carries a maximum of six months in jail and a $500 fine.

According to the police report, Davis threatened officers and had to be subdued by a Taser to be arrested. The Taser burst left small puncture marks on his chest and abdomen, according to police.

Davis' agent, Chubby Wells, said they are looking into their legal options against the Miami Beach police department.

"We're talking to attorneys right now," Wells said Wednesday.

"It's Dale's name on the line, and all I can say is that things did not go down the way they say it did."

The Pistons also are aware of the arrest.

"We are not going to comment publicly on this until we get all the information," Pistons representative Kevin Grigg said.

According to the police report, Davis allegedly caused a disturbance and assaulted someone at the South Beach Marriott.

Hotel security called police, and the officers confronted Davis in the lobby.

The police report did not say Davis was intoxicated or otherwise impaired.

Davis allegedly refused police orders to produce identification. A friend who was with Davis calmed him and got him to produce the ID.

Miami Beach police representative Bobby Hernandez said the incident could have ended there, without the arrest, if Davis had been cooperative.

"Once you threaten police, it's over," Hernandez said Wednesday night. "You can't go there."

The police and Davis proceeded outside, where Davis allegedly began to shout a profanity and accuse the police of targeting him because of his race. Things escalated when Davis allegedly put his hands in his pockets, a move police saw as a threat. They demanded he show his hands.

Davis responded: "I don't have a gun! Are you going to shoot me?"

He eventually removed his hands but then balled up his fists, as if ready for a fight, and walked threateningly toward officers, according to the report.

Davis was ordered to stop, or the police would use the Taser -- a device that shoots two probes, up to 30 feet, to deliver an electrical charge. The quick burst of electricity temporarily immobilizes the victim.

Davis ignored repeated orders to stop moving toward officers with his fists clinched, the report said. The police shot Davis with the Taser. He fell and was subdued for the arrest. Police said he was cooperative in custody.

Davis now will be subpoenaed for arraignment.

Hernandez said it is common for these types of cases to end in a pretrial diversion agreement, allowing a person to perform anger management or community service.

If Davis takes a diversion agreement, the charges will not appear on his record.

Davis isn't the only athlete recently arrested in Miami Beach.

Guard Gilbert Arenas and forward Awvee Storey of the Washington Wizards and former Ohio State receiver Santonio Holmes, now a rookie with the Pittsburgh Steelers, were arrested in May after run-ins with the police.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Much like Olowokandi last year, this is the funniest police video that I have never seen.