Investigations Underway In Ada After Use Of Force Caught On Camera

The City of Ada and the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department said they are investigating an incident in which officers' use of force against a suspect was caught on camera.

The videos, recorded by bystanders, showed several officers apparently trying to arrest a man in the parking lot of a Walmart in Ada Monday afternoon. A fourth officer then rushed to the suspect, jumped up, and hit the suspect in the head or shoulder area. The group of officers subsequently brought the suspect to the ground. An officer then repeatedly punched the suspect in what appeared to be his shoulder area while the other officers were kneeling over him.

"Several punches. He's not doing anything. He's lying on the ground," said the suspect's friend, Cody Hallmark. "It was crazy to me."

According to a report from one of the responding officers with the Ada Police Department, they responded to the Walmart after getting a call that Justin Glaspey may have been driving while under the influence. The report later stated that the suspect had a red face, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and the smell of alcohol on his breath.

Ada Police said in their report that they initially tried to pull Glaspey over. But he drove away and later locked his door and refused to come out of his vehicle, the police report said.

An officer opened the passenger-side door and ordered Glaspey to step out, but he did not comply, the police report continued. When the officer tased Glaspey, he threw the Taser leads back at the officer, stunning her, the report said.

After Lighthorse Police arrived with a pepper ball gun, Glaspey eventually got out of his vehicle, but continued to resist arrest, prompting a Lighthorse officer to take him to the ground, according to the police report. 

But police said Glaspey still refused to give his hands, so a Lighthorse officer began hitting Glaspey in the shoulders to free the suspect's arms from underneath him, the police report said. During this time, Glaspey allegedly bit the Lighthorse officer's hand, hit him in the groin area, then hit a second officer in the leg, according to the police report. Officers eventually placed Glaspey in handcuffs. 

Hallmark said the use of force against Glaspey was excessive.

“I was distraught when I saw the video. That's my close friend and he would - I know him personally. He wouldn’t do anything that would warrant that type of beating like that," said Hallmark. "I know he's a big man. He might be intimidating but you can tase someone. You don't have to jump on them and pull their hair."

An Ada city spokesperson said while Lighthorse officers were the ones who did the hitting in the video, the city is reviewing bodycam footage and investigating the incident. The city declined to go on camera to comment.

News 9 also reached out to the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department, which declined to comment on camera. But Lighthorse Police Commissioner Randy Wesley sent the following statement:

"Lighthorse officers responded to a request from Ada Police for assistance subduing a subject who appeared to be intoxicated and refused to comply with instructions from officers on scene. An internal investigation is underway."