Officer delayed NFL player as relative died

[Mr. Television]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4017382

DALLAS -- A police officer was placed on administrative leave Thursday over a traffic stop involving an NFL player whom he kept in a hospital parking lot and threatened to arrest while his mother-in-law died inside the building.

Officer Robert Powell also drew his gun during the March 18 incident involving Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats in the Dallas suburb of Plano, police said.


Moats
"I can screw you over," he said at one point in the videotaped incident. When another officer came with word that Moats' mother-in-law was indeed dying, Powell's response was: "All right. I'm almost done."

Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle apologized to the family and announced that Powell would be on paid leave pending an internal investigation.

"When we at the command staff reviewed the tape, we were embarrassed, disappointed," Kunkle said. "It's hard to find the right word and still be professional in my role as the police chief. But the behavior was not appropriate."

Powell, 25, a three-year member of the force, stopped Moats' SUV outside Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano after Moats rolled through a red light.

Police officials said Powell told his commanders he believed he was doing his job, and that he drew his gun but did not point it. Kunkle said Powell was not necessarily acting improperly when he pulled his weapon out, but that once he realized what was happening should have put the gun back, apologized and offered to help the family in any way.

"His behavior, in my opinion, did not exhibit the common sense, the discretion, the compassion that we expect our officers to exhibit," Kunkle said.

Moats' wife, who was in the car along with other relatives, said Powell pointed his weapon at her.

Video: NFL player pulled over
On the Web site of the Dallas Morning News, video from a police dashboard camera shows a Dallas police officer stopping Texans running back Ryan Moats in front of the hospital where his mother-in-law lay dying of cancer. Watch

"He was pointing a gun at me as soon as I got out of the car," Tamishia Moats told The Dallas Morning News.

The Moats family did not immediately return messages left by The Associated Press. Powell did not respond to requests for comment through the Dallas police union.

Video from a dashboard camera inside the officer's vehicle, obtained by Dallas-Fort Worth station WFAA-TV, revealed an intense exchange in which the officer threatened to jail Moats.

He ordered Tamishia Moats, 27, to get back in the SUV, but after pausing for a few seconds, she and another woman rushed into the hospital. She was by the side of her mother, 45-year-old Jonetta Collinsworth, when she died a short time later from breast cancer.

"Get in there," said Powell, yelling at Tamishia Moats as she exited the vehicle. "Let me see your hands!"

"Excuse me, my mom is dying," Tamishia Moats said. "Do you understand?"

Ryan Moats explained that he waited until there was no traffic before proceeding through the red light. When Powell asked for proof of insurance, Moats grew more agitated and told the officer to go find it.

"My mother-in-law is dying! Right now! You're wasting my time!" Moats yelled. "I don't understand why you can't understand that."

As they argued, the officer got irritated.

"Shut your mouth," the officer said. "You can either settle down and cooperate or I can just take you to jail for running a red light."

By the time the 26-year-old NFL player received a ticket and a lecture from Powell, about 13 minutes had passed. When he and Collinsworth's father entered the hospital, they learned Collinsworth was dead.

Kunkle said the video showed that Moats and his wife "exercised extraordinary patience, restraint in dealing with the behavior of our officer."

"At no time did Mr. Moats identify himself as an NFL football player or expect any kind of special consideration," Kunkle said. "He handled himself very, very well."

The Moats family, who are black, said they can't help but think that race might have played a part in the white officer's behavior.

"I think he should lose his job," Ryan Moats said.

When the exchange was at its most contentious, Powell said he could tow Moats' SUV if he didn't have insurance and that he could arrest him for fleeing because he didn't immediately stop when Powell turned on his sirens. The pursuit lasted a little more than a minute.

"I can screw you over," Powell said. "I'd rather not do that. Your attitude will dictate everything that happens."

The ticket issued to Moats was dismissed, Dallas police spokesman Lt. Andy Harvey said.

Texans spokesman Kevin Cooper said the team had no comment.

Moats, a third-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005 out of Louisiana Tech, was cut by the Eagles in August and later signed with the Texans. In three seasons as a backup, he's rushed for 441 yards and scored four touchdowns.

He was a standout at Bishop Lynch High School, a private school in Dallas, rushing for more than 2,600 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior.


Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

[Zoneboy]

After reading this I can say without a doubt that I have no sympathy whatsoever for this stupid cop. The idiot had absolutely no compassion for this family and should be terminated.

[Waterston_Fan]

Well, this is a double edge sword.

I mean if the guy hit somebody, then he couldn't even see his relative and if the person dies, I don't think that family will care why the man was racing to the hospital.

But the officer should have just given a ticket or gone inside with them.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by Waterston_Fan

Well, this is a double edge sword.

I mean if the guy hit somebody, then he couldn't even see his relative and if the person dies, I don't think that family will care why the man was racing to the hospital.

But the officer should have just given a ticket or gone inside with them.

This is not a double-edged sword, Ryan Moats plainly stated that he waited until there was no traffic before proceeding through the red-light. No one was hit or died and the cop was nothing but a total ass the entire time. I will agree with you that he should've just followed them into the hospital and then written the ticket. I'm sure it would've been a small sacrifice for the Moats family if he could've been given a chance to say his goodbyes to his mother-in-law.

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

This is not a double-edged sword, Ryan Moats plainly stated that he waited until there was no traffic before proceeding through the red-light. No one was hit or died and the cop was nothing but a total ass the entire time. I will agree with you that he should've just followed them into the hospital and then written the ticket. I'm sure it would've been a small sacrifice for the Moats family if he could've been given a chance to say his goodbyes to his mother-in-law.

Also from what I understand, Maots had all the blinkers going on his car to let people know it was an emergency and he wasn't speeding. The cop was just being a jerk. Their is such a thing as compassion. I think the cop was just on a power trip.

[Waterston_Fan]

Originally Posted by Lee

How can you say something so stupid? Did you not read the entire article?

Yes, I did read it once I realized how long the officer had held up Moats. Even though I even saw it on the news.

I'm just looking at it from reality that's all.

But I did say the Cop should have gone with Moats and threaten him with arrest if he was lying, kind of thing.

[catlover79]

What a mess.

[robyrob]

that cop was on a total power trip - and if he actually pulled his gun on that poor woman he should definitely get more than "paid administrative leave" for punishment.

[Brieannas21]

Originally Posted by robyrob

that cop was on a total power trip - and if he actually pulled his gun on that poor woman he should definitely get more than "paid administrative leave" for punishment.

He also told Moats "I can screw you over." That really pissed people off.

[Mr. Television]

Zach Thomas: Same Dallas officer mistreated my wife

NFL linebacker says line was crossed in 2008 traffic stop; Powell's attorney sees no improper actions


11:43 PM CDT on Saturday, March 28, 2009
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
tarcher@dallasnews.com

Maritza Thomas, the wife of NFL linebacker Zach Thomas, saw a familiar face as she watched the video of Officer Robert Powell detaining Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats as he and his family rushed to a hospital to see a dying loved one. That face was Powell's.

On July 27, 2008, while her husband was at training camp with the Cowboys in Oxnard, Calif., Maritza Thomas was pulled over by Powell for an illegal U-turn near NorthPark Center.

Maritza Thomas was issued five tickets by Powell, four of which were later dismissed. Thomas was handcuffed, placed in the back of a police cruiser, spent about three hours in the Dallas County Jail and was threatened with the possibility of spending the night behind bars.

"This in no way compares to what happened to Ryan Moats and his family," said Zach Thomas, who played for the Cowboys last season and is now a free agent. "But we wanted to tell our story, not knowing how many others have been affected by Officer Powell. We know the vast majority of the Dallas police force are good and professional people, but this guy just seems excessive."

The charges that were dropped included: failure to show proof of insurance, running a red light, improper address on driver's license and a registration sticker was not on the windshield. She accepted deferred adjudication for the illegal U-turn charge, and her record will be cleared next month.

In total, Maritza Thomas, who is Hispanic, was detained roughly five hours.

"This situation never should've happened," said Maritza Thomas' attorney, Brody Shanklin. "Unless extraordinary circumstances exist, no person should be arrested for a Class C citation. In this case, it was an example of Officer Powell being overzealous and exerting his authority in a manner that he never should have."

Bob Gorsky, Powell's attorney, questioned the timing of Thomas' allegations, saying she had not complained about her arrest until the Moats incident became public.

"After her arrest, she may have mentioned that her husband was a football player, but that played no role in her arrest or the disposition of the case," Gorsky said.

"I do understand that an arrest on multiple traffic charges happens often and is absolutely proper under these circumstances," Gorsky said. "Often, when there are multiple charges, an arrest made and bond posted, some of the charges from a single event are later dropped."

According to Maritza Thomas, a pharmacist with no prior criminal record, Powell would not accept the explanation of where the proper paperwork was before she was taken to jail. Her mother, Teresa Lozano, who was making her first trip to Dallas and speaks little English, was forced to ride with the tow truck driver when the car was impounded. She later posted bail for her daughter's release.

"My mom was begging for him to let her go to the apartment that was five minutes away to get the paperwork," Maritza Thomas said. "He unbuckled his holster, and she got scared."

The Thomases said Powell was dismissive, but they did not allege that he used abusive language. There is no dash-cam video available of the incident, but the police report lists the five citations and confirms that Thomas was taken to jail.

At the time, the Thomases considered filing a complaint against Powell but declined, "because we didn't want to cause a stir," said her husband, Zach Thomas, believing it "was maybe a guy having a bad day." However, they plan to file one now.

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Complaints can be made more than 60 days following an incident in person or in writing with the internal affairs department. Maritza Thomas said she would fax a letter this week. The Thomases said they are not seeking money.

Sr. Cpl. Kevin Janse, a Dallas police spokesman, declined to comment on Thomas' allegation.

However, he said police would investigate all complaints submitted to the department about Powell.

"If she feels Officer Powell did something wrong, we'll investigate it," Janse said. "We are not going to go back and track everything this officer has done," he said. "If people come to us with concerns, we'll look into it."

The department is investigating Powell's actions on the night of the Moats traffic stop, as well as any other questionable encounters involving the officer, Janse said.

Maritza Thomas said, "I hope that by telling my story that it will help prevent situations like this from happening in the future."

Powell issued an apology Friday for his actions in which Moats and his grandfather-in-law were unable to see Jonetta Collinsworth before she succumbed to breast cancer this month. Powell has been put on paid leave.

With the grim news of Collinsworth's health, Moats, his wife, Tamishia, and her grandfather rushed to Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, rolling through a red light that prompted Powell to turn on his lights.

Outside the emergency room, Powell detained Moats for 13 minutes, and Collinsworth died before everybody could say goodbye.

[Lee]

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

Powell issued an apology Friday for his actions in which Moats and his grandfather-in-law were unable to see Jonetta Collinsworth before she succumbed to breast cancer this month. Powell has been put on paid leave.

I am sorry, but a simple apology will not cut the Mustard here. Robert Powell
is a bad cop who needs to be fired for what he did to not only one, but three
people-Ryan Moats, Tamisha Moats and Maritza Thomas. I believe the only
reason why he is apologizing now is because Ryan Moats is a famous football
player and the incident has become very public now and this miserable excuse
for a police officer thinks he can just apologize and avoid being punished for
what he did. He is a racist jerk of a police officer who is a embarrasment to
all the good men and women of law enforcement out there.

[TripperFan]

After seeing the entire raw video from the cop's dashboard cam, the moment Moats told him why he had run the red he should have escorted all of them up to the mother-in-law's hospital room, allowed them to say their goodbyes, and then either write him a simple ticket or let him off with a warning (it's not like it's going to happen again).

I've heard of similar events happening when a husband is rushing his wife to the hospital (or when I had to rush my mother who was having a stroke). I was actually looking for a cop car hoping to be able to tell them my emergency and if anything, have them clear the way for me to make it to the hospital. Sometimes some cops forget they're there to have compassion and protect people - not to just rag on them.

What really angered me was the conversation between cops after Moats went into the hospital. Joking how it was only his second "chase", then the other cop just saying his was hungry and was going to get something to eat. Not one mention of the woman dying, or how he felt badly about that, etc.. It might have been another night on the job for him, but a family just lost their mother - could they not see that???? Pathetic.

Barney Fife of the Dallas Police Dept.

[Mr. Television]

Updated: March 30, 2009, 9:53 AM ET
NFL player accepts officer's apology

Associated Press


DALLAS -- An NFL player said Monday he accepts the apology offered by a Dallas police officer who stopped him with a drawn gun in a hospital parking lot while his mother-in-law was dying inside.

Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats said on ABC's "Good Morning America" that he hopes Officer Robert Powell was sincere in his apology.
Powell stopped Moats' SUV outside Baylor Regional Medical Center in suburban Plano on March 18 after the vehicle rolled through a red light.

Moats' wife, Tamishia, and other relatives were also in the car.

The officer pulled out his gun and threatened Moats with jail as the player pleaded to be allowed to go inside the hospital. Moats' mother-in-law died before he got there while Powell write Moats a ticket and lectured him.

Powell, who has been placed on paid leave pending an investigation, issued a statement Friday through his attorneys.

"I wish to publicly and sincerely apologize to the Moats family, my colleagues in the Dallas Police Department, and to all those who have been rightfully angered by my actions on March 18, 2009. After stopping Mr. Moats' vehicle, I showed poor judgment and insensitivity to Mr. Moats and his family by my words and actions," Powell's statement said.

Tamishia Moats said she'd like to hear the apology personally, but that she, too, would definitely accept it.

According to video from a dashboard camera inside the officer's vehicle, Tamishia Moats and another woman disregarded Powell's order to get back inside their vehicle, and they rushed into the hospital. She was by the side of her mother, 45-year-old Jonetta Collinsworth, when she died a short time later from breast cancer.

Powell yelled at Tamishia Moats to stay in the SUV.

"Excuse me, my mom is dying," Tamishia Moats said. "Do you understand?"
Ryan Moats later said the officer pointed his gun at his wife and then at him.

He explained that he waited until there was no traffic before continuing through the red light. When Powell asked for proof of insurance, Moats grew more agitated and told the officer to go find it.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

[robyrob]

what this cop really needs is to have a public humiliating tongue-lashing/reprimand until he is made to feel two inches tall.

[Lee]

Originally Posted by robyrob

what this cop really needs is to have a public humiliating tongue-lashing/reprimand until he is made to feel two inches tall.

Like I said earlier, I don't believe that Powell's apology is really sincere. I
believe he is just trying to save face after this whole incident went public.