Posted on 01/20/2009 6:53:12 PM PST by devane617
TAMPA -- The arrest of Fox 13 news anchor Russell Rhodes, who has a black eye and bloodied face in his mugshot, is under review by Internal Affairs, officials from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said today.
"Any time there's a high-profile incident or any incident that the sheriff wishes to have reviewed," an internal review is initiated, said J.D. Callaway, spokesman for the Sheriff's Office. "We'll look at all the available evidence and make sure the deputies acted properly."
Rhodes, a morning news anchor for Fox 13's Good Day Tampa Bay, was arrested Friday night, allegedly after resisting arrest.
Around 10:15 p.m., an off-duty sheriff's deputy working security at Channelside spotted a 2006 BMW 325i weaving erratically in the public parking garage, Callaway said.
The deputy stopped the BMW and the driver, Rhodes, got out, reportedly with his belt undone and his pants unbuttoned, though they were still up. Rhodes appeared to be intoxicated, Callaway said.
According to the deputy, Rhodes tried to walk away from him twice after being ordered to stay put and surrender his car keys. Rhodes didn't identify himself or try to use his name to get out of the situation, Callaway said. When Rhodes tried to run out of the garage, the deputy grabbed him, Callaway said.
He had his car key in his right hand, and when deputies tried to take it, he began waving his hands to keep them from taking it, an arrest affidavit states.
"He began to flail his arms," Callaway said. That's when he was "taken to the ground." Callaway said injuries to Rhodes' face happened when he hit the ground.
He then said he was sorry and that he had panicked because he works for Fox 13, the report states.
Rhodes was taken to Tampa General Hospital for cuts and bruises to his face and then was booked into the Orient Road Jail, Callaway said. He was charged with obstructing an officer without violence and was released Saturday morning on $500 bail.
Blood samples were taken to see if he was intoxicated. The results should be back next week, Callaway said. Depending on the outcome, he could face an additional charge of driving under the influence.
Rhodes is from Paris, Texas, and has been with Tampa Bay's Fox station since 1994, according to his biography on the Fox Web site. He originally wanted to be an actor or singer, but went into broadcast journalism.
He went to the University of Oklahoma and worked at stations in Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota and then Tampa Bay.
"I used to say I had the best job in the news business," he said on the Web site, referring to his promotion from Good Day feature reporter to co-anchor. "This new one may be better."
Fox 13 offered a brief comment when contacted about the arrest.
"He will not be on the air Monday," said Jessica Moss, spokeswoman for Fox 13. For all other questions, she referred to a story on the station's Web site that briefly recounts the incident and says "FOX 13 management is aware of the matter and is reviewing it."
Tampa cops are often out-of-control. Remember the woman they stopped and manhandled when she was was on her way to the hospital to see her father who had been taken there for an emergency. Tampa is a zero leftwing dim city and has been for years. The cops were complicit in giving away a Glock pistol of mine to a lowlife across the street who already had warrants out on him. They believed his story and anyone’s crazy to take it up with a judge since they work together and will buy the cops story. I have a carry permit for my credibility.
Yep and that’s why I don’t drink anymore. Still I managed to get arrested without getting my butt kicked.
Once my cousin did get his butt kicked while I was sitting in the cruiser. He got aggresive and I didn’t. He got his butt kicked and I didn’t.
Don’t buy the injuries were from hitting the ground.
It appears there are multiple contact points.
I agree - drunk driving is pathetic. As an aside, the article said this party boy had his keys in his hand. Women are taught in self defense classes to use their keys as a weapon if they have nothing else - maybe he was jabbing like a girl at the cops.... either way, a drunk with his pants undone resisting arrest, I side with the cops.
Excuse me but where does an off-duty police officer working as a parking lot guard get the authority to detain ANYONE, let alone punch him in the face?
If it can be shown the cop beat him down he should be arrested. It is the same as battery. It is a premeditated act.
Like many folks you confuse the police with arbiters of Justice. The police are empowered decide if your behavior merits an introduction to the Criminal Justice System (Citation or Arrest). Unless, of course, a court has drafted a Warrant for your arrest, then you are really screwed. Your job is to accept either the arrest or citation and to then dispute that decision in court. Your failure to do your job, steps up their authority to take “force necessary to effect the arrest” you just necessitated by your failure to play nice. So an ass kicking may well be in line as long as it insures your appearance in court.
Possible gay-bashing?
I wonder be curious to hear the follow up from this perp though.... (see I'm all up on the lingo and everything!)
Hillsboro County, and Tampa police have a very bad rep for this type stuff.
Note to police officers:
Tasers don’t leave bruises. LOL
Not defending the reporter but cops seem to use this excuse more and more lately.
Driving when drinking is being a first class moron.
Wasn’t it a Tampa or Hillsborough jail where they dumped the guy out of the wheelchair, onto the floor, because they didn’t believe him when he said he was a paralyzed?
I'll buy it. I looked exactly like that when I went over the handlebars of my bike when I was ten. Right down to the yellow stuff (betadine). The school nurse wasn't amused at all.
terycarl, I am a conservative so by nature I am going to be suspicious of anyone in power because they could take away my liberties and freedoms. The government should have very limited power in how it can control the actions of their citizens. If a city wants to enact laws that say it’s legal for police to enact a beat-down whenever they feel like, I’m ok with that as long as I know that ahead of time. Most of us don’t want police (or any government agent) making those kinds of decisions. We want the law legally enforced and to be left the hell alone.
Off duty police who are hired for security have the same authority as when they are on their scheduled tour.
That is one of the main reasons they are hired instead of some $8.00 an hour Rent-A-Cop.
I’m withholding judgment. That sure doesn’t look like just hitting the ground. For one thing, it’s on both sides of his face. He was hit more than once.
Also, it’s dumb to talk back to a cop. But if the cop was off duty, how did he know that he was a cop? Probably some blame for both of them.
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