Tennessee truck driver bitten by K-9 following pursuit through several Ohio counties
Body cam footage shows the driver with his hands up before the K-9 was allowed to engage.
CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (WSMV) - A truck driver from Memphis is at the center of a national conversation about how officers in Ohio handled his arrest following a lengthy pursuit on July 4.
According to the incident report from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, troopers were dispatched to assist a motor carrier enforcement inspector, who attempted to stop a tractor-trailer traveling westbound on US-35 in Jackson County. The inspector reported to the responding troopers that he activated his patrol car lights and made eye contact with the driver, who failed to stop.
Ohio state troopers caught up with the semi 30 miles down the highway in Ross County and attempted to get the driver’s attention with their light bar and sirens. Jadarrius Rose, 23, never made eye contact and appeared to not acknowledge the patrol car, the report states.
Multiple units from nearby county agencies responded to the pursuit and kept traffic clear as Ohio state troopers continued to pursue Rose in the semi, according to the report. Rose, at one point, nearly made contact with the trooper’s patrol car when he swerved to avoid a barrier where US-35 and US-23 split in Chillicothe, troopers said. The trooper stated in the report that he had to swerve off the roadway to avoid a crash.
The report states that Rose came to a stop following the near crash but failed to exit the truck’s cabin. He then drove away and continued north on US-23, swerving to avoid stop sticks deployed by the Circleville Police.
A second attempt at stop sticks was successful a short time later and the semi came to a stop after its front left tire was too damaged to continue, the trooper reported. After failing to comply with multiple orders to exit the vehicle, Rose eventually obliged but verbal commands to get on the ground were unsuccessful, troopers said.
That is when Circleville Police, who had just arrived at the scene, deployed the K-9, the report states.
Rose was bitten by the K-9 and required medical treatment during his arrest, according to the report. He was transported to Adena Regional Medical Center for further treatment, where he was irate about being stopped and just wanted to make his delivery and get home. Rose was cleared by medical staff and booked into Ross County Jail and charged with failure to comply.
Body camera footage from the Ohio State Highway Patrol shows troopers at the scene, commanding Rose to get on the ground as Rose stood on the roadway with his hands up. Officers with Circleville Police can be seen approaching from the opposite side of the median, including a K-9 handler. One trooper can be heard saying, “Don’t release the dog...do not release the dog with his hands up.” The officer kept coming and released the K-9, who jumped on Rose and took him to the ground.
The release of the video has sparked outrage across the nation and reignited the conversation over police brutality.
Nana Watson, president of the NAACP in Columbus, Ohio, expressed her concern over what happened:
”He paid no attention, and I am sure he is not hearing impaired,” Watson said. “He did not pay attention. He elected to unleash that dog. The police are here to protect and serve.”
The whole incident, including the decision by the Circleville P.D. officer to engage his K-9, is under investigation.
Copyright 2023 WSMV. All rights reserved.
