Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Video shows lead-up to officer’s injuries
Cop dragged about 350 feet as driver fled scene in car
Police have released an injured officer’s body-camera video showing a traffic stop that led to her being dragged as the driver fled the scene in his car, according to Boynton Beach Police Chief Michael Gregory.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that we’re so fortunate her injuries were not more serious than we saw,” he said Wednesday.
The officer — whose name was removed from the police report — was treated for road rash at Bethesda Memorial Hospital after being dragged an estimated 350 feet, the report stated.
Timothy Tristan Jones, 47, of Boynton Beach, got away, but surrendered Jan. 30 and was charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, driving on a suspended license as a habitual traffic offender and fleeing. He was being held on a $20,000 bond in the Palm Beach County Jail, records show.
Jones was pulled over about 12:33 a.m. Jan. 17 in the 2900 block of Ocean Parkway for allegedly driving a Cadillac DTS with an expired license plate tag. The officer asked Jones to come over and sit on the front of her patrol car, the report stated.
A 51-second segment of the officer’s body-camera video was released, Wednesday.
The first 30 seconds of the video has no audio, but it shows Jones talking to the officer, gesturing with his arms, and then walking back to the Cadillac, apparently ignoring the officer’s commands.
“After giving several warnings she drew her Taser and actually had to fire the Taser to try to stop Mr. Jones from fleeing the scene,” Gregory said.
The next 21-seconds of the video has audio and the officer is heard calling for backup while firing the stun gun at Jones, hitting him in the back. He still manages to get into the driver’s seat while repeatedly yelling, “Help, help, help.”
The officer reaches in to grab the car keys but is pushed back and the body camera appears to fall off her and onto the pavement — so it doesn’t show the officer being dragged.
“During the encounter, while Mr. Jones was in the car trying to flee and the officer was trying to stop him, the body-camera became dislodged and fell off and tumbled onto the street,” Gregory said.
Jones can be heard yelling, “Help, help, help. She’s trying to hurt me,” as the rear wheel of the Cadillac is seen rolling out of the frame in the video.
“(Jones) was able to shrug off the effects of the Taser and drive away while she was still in the vehicle trying to get free from it,” Gregory said.
He said traffic stops are among the most common and most dangerous activities officers deal with and he advised motorists to just cooperate and talk to the officer when pulled over.