DEA to investigate scuffle between agent, Weston plumbing inspector
WESTON — The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating an incident in which a city plumbing inspector ended up with a concussion and a cut over his eye in a scuffle with a special agent who followed him from a gated community, wrestledhimto the ground in a parking lot and placed him in handcuffs.
The incident began before 11 a.m. Dec. 22 when special agent Terry Franckhauser, 45, spotted plumbing inspector Gregorio Diaz, 59, parked in front of a house in the 600 block of Verona Court in a “vehicle [that] appeared to be suspicious” and had dark tinted windows, according to a Broward Sheriff’s Office incident report.
Franckhauser, who lives inWeston, told deputies he approached Diaz’s 2000 FordCrownVictoria, which “took off at a high rate of speed.” According to deputies, “Franckhauser stated that the DEA is on a high alert status.”
Franckhauser followed in his car, and watched the Ford “drive through several stop signs” before pulling into the Racquet Club Village South Apartments, 374 Lakeview Drive, he told investigators. Both men got out of their cars. Franckhauser said he identified himself as aDEA agent.
“Franckhauser stated thatdueto Diaz’s suspicious actions he attempted to place Diaz in handcuffs for [Franckhauser’s] safety until other agents could arrive andhecould further inquire about Diaz’s actions,” the report stated.
As Franckhauser attempted to handcuff Diaz, “Diaz kept pushing back into him and bumping into his firearm, which was concealed in a holster in his front waistband,” deputies said.
“Franckhauser stated he then decided to place Diaz on the ground and they trippedover each other, falling to the ground, causing a laceration to Diaz’s right eyebrowarea.”
Diaz later told deputies that after being handcuffed, “he got scared because it was not amarked police vehicle.” They both fell during the struggle, he told deputies.
When they attempted to get a statement from Diaz, deputies said, “he appeared to be disoriented and unaware of what occurred.”
Diaz was treated at Broward Health Medical Center, deputies said.
Deputies determined that Diaz lived at the Racquet Club Village South Apartments and had been called to the 600 block of Verona Court to do an inspection.
No charges against Diaz.
Marvin Schulman, an attorney representing Diaz, said: “My client’s position is that he was assaulted or negligently suffered injuries, and that this should never have happened.”
Anne Judith Lambert, information officer for the DEA’s Miami division, said the incident has been referred to the Office of Professional Responsibility, the agency’s equivalent of internal affairs.
Franckhauser on duty, she said.
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