OKLAHOMA CITY -- On Jan. 3, court records claim Pearl Pearson fled the scene of a car accident in south Oklahoma City.An affidavit claims that when Pearson was pulled over along the S Eastern Ave. exit, just off I-40, he resisted two officers and refused to comply with repeated orders to display his hands.
There was a seven-minute altercation. It does not say whether the officers were aware that he is hearing impaired.
Late Tuesday Pearl’s attorney, Billy Coyle, says “My client is completely innocent of these allegations. We are waiting on the OHP (Oklahoma Highway Patrol) report and we are sorting through the facts of the case. My client is profoundly Deaf and was trying to give officers his specialty license during the stop”.
He says his client, a deaf man, was brutalized at the scene, at the hospital and continued at the jail.
One neighbor said the incident is a misunderstanding by troopers that went too far. “I know they do dangerous jobs and they put their lives on the line, but that is over the top,” Sacia Law said. “It’s completely unacceptable. Seven minutes of just basically beating someone?”
The OHP said our request for an interview has been forwarded to the proper division for consideration.
NewsChannel 4 received a statement Monday evening regarding Pearson’s arrest.
Lt. Brian Orr, with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, said, “We can confirm the arrest and charges were filed for leaving the scene of an accident and resisting arrest. The case went to the Oklahoma County District Attorney and any details of this case will have to come from the DA’s office. We will review the arrest administratively and if it is determined there were violations of department policy, we will take appropriate action.”
NewsChannel 4 learned on Tuesday the two Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers involved, Eric Foster and Kelton Hayes, have been suspended with pay while the investigation into this incident continues.
An OHP spokesman says if the agency determines that there were violations during the arrest, appropriate action will be taken... Read The Full Story.
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