UPDATE: 2 who faced charges stemming from traffic stop appear in court
JACKSON, Tenn. — In a follow up on story we brought you earlier this year, a man and woman appeared in court again over a stop conducted by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
Reem Cooper and Ashley Thomas appeared before a judge Tuesday about a traffic stop that took place in July.
The sheriff’s office says the stop was conducted over a failure to maintain lane.
Dash camera footage shown in court, along with video taken by a passenger in the car that was provided to WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News, show Cooper refusing to open the door for deputies.
According to Cooper, the officer did not clarify the violation. See video here.
“Unlock the door,” asked Deputy Jacob Nickell in the video provided to WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News.
“My door is not coming open. First of all, you finish your conversation – is this a criminal stop or a traffic stop?” Cooper said in the video.
Eventually Nickell, who originally conducted the stopped, busted out the window to remove Cooper.
The deputy warned Cooper he would do so if he didn’t comply, even telling Cooper to avert his eyes moments before breaching the car.
After the breach, Cooper was tased and taken into custody. In an affidavit, Cooper faced charges of failure to maintain lane, halt, resisting stop frisk, and failure to produce identification.
Tuesday, Madison County General Sessions Judge Hugh Harvey Jr. dropped the failure to maintain lane charge against Cooper, as evidence provided in court showed that Nickell was illegally parked in the roadway at Catalina Drive.
The judge said that the deputy was off of the legal distance from the edge of the road. The judge said according to traffic law, a vehicle’s tires should be within 18 inches of the curb.
“If the car is able to go on the right side of the deputy’s vehicle, between the vehicle and the curb. That ain’t 18 inches. So the deputy was illegal parked,” Harvey stated.
This was why, as seen in the deputy’s dash camera, Cooper was able to squeeze between the patrol vehicle and the edge of the road.
The charges against Thomas related to the stop were also dropped.
The judge, however, did not drop the charge of resisting arrest, which Cooper will have to appear in circuit court for on April 8.
We are also awaiting results of the internal investigation that is being conducted by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office regarding the traffic stop.
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