Man Flees Seatbelt Stop on Foot, Cop Runs Him Over and Kills Him

[Meezer]

The law was for his own safety:

Shortly after 12:30 a.m. this morning a Volusia County Sheriffs deputy saw Marlon Brown driving without a seatbelt, and attempted to pull him over. When Brown kept driving, the deputy gave up pursuit while reporting a fleeing vehicle. Almost immediately, reports the Daytona Beach News-Journal, officers with the DeLand Police Department (the county and city share a dispatch system) said they'd spotted the vehicle and began their own pursuit. What happened next absolutely should not have:


Two DeLand police officers got behind the car as it headed west on Beresford Avenue. Brown did not stop and made a left turn on South Delaware Avenue, a dead-end street that ends near an empty lot. Brown stopped the car and ran from it, as one DeLand patrol car stopped behind Brown's Toyota Camry. The other patrol car, driven by Officer Harris, drove past on the left of the other stopped patrol car and struck Brown, who was running, with the right front.

Harris then ran over Brown, killing him on the spot, Montes said.



The Deland Police Department is refusing to comment on the case until the Florida Highway Patrol concludes its investigation. The only information it's released at this point is that the officer who killed Brown, 25-year-old James Harris, has been on the job since August, has an otherwise clean record, and is now suspended. As for Brown: One explanation for his decision to not pull over may be that his license was suspended and he was on probation.

But really: Chasing people over seatbelt violations? Isn't that a bit much?

This incident--like the one Brian Doherty noted in which a NYPD patrol car pursuing a dirt bike slammed into it and killed one of the passengers--didn't need to happen. But it seems DeLand police simply aren't very good at chasing pedestrian suspects.


Man fleeing police run over and killed by DeLand patrol car | News-JournalOnline.com

 

[indykid]

See, wearing seatbelts saves lives. In reality, nanny state at it's worst.

 

[j706]

Pretty pretty warped twist to the story. Anyone the runs from a traffic stop is committing a felony irregardless of what the stop was for. As for the now departed felon I seriously doubt he was run over on purpose. The moral to this story is don't flee when you are getting pulled over.

 

[Meezer]

. As for the now departed felon I seriously doubt he was run over on purpose.

That's not what the eye witnesses all saw & reported. The cop murdered the guy.

 

[Stickfight]

As for the now departed felon I seriously doubt he was run over on purpose. The moral to this story is don't flee when you are getting pulled over.

Like you, I've often longed for a world where the entire process we call justice is wrapped up right there on the spot by just one guy. Who wouldn't want a police force that could identify your crime, convict you, and mete out whatever consequences they could think up on the spot? A couple of jaywalkers handcuffed to the bumper being dragged around town would go a long way to protect us all from unrepentant jaywalkers.

 

[joncon]

Another death, due to not wearing seat belts?

 

[TiminMishawaka]

That's not what the eye witnesses all saw & reported. The cop murdered the guy.

Oh please.....

The cop hate is ridiculous here.

 

[Donnelly]

All right, I'm all about holding the police accountable when they screw up, but this was a guy that didn't want to go to jail so he decided to flee from the police. He was definitely in the wrong.

I myself find it hard to believe that the officer ran the guy over on purpose. Maybe he meant to clip him, maybe not.

 

[Nim]

Oh please.....

The cop hate is ridiculous here.

I would not call it a general hatred of cops...it is more like we expect better of them. I understand their job can be frustrating and thankless at times but this pursuiit and killing sounds like it was a bit much.

 

[SnakEEater]

Pretty pretty warped twist to the story. Anyone the runs from a traffic stop is committing a felony irregardless of what the stop was for. As for the now departed felon I seriously doubt he was run over on purpose. The moral to this story is don't flee when you are getting pulled over.[/QUOTE=

The implication is that someone that commits a felon should be killed? The officer was chasing an innocent man and as soon as he fled he becomes a felon. Got it. If this was your innocent 18 year old son who fled because he made the wrong decision would your reaction be so swift and harsh?

Or, should trained LEO's make good and timely decisions about how and when to react and what force or escallation of force is necessary?

I see a problem with anyone that is ready to dismiss with impunity a LEO who may have made a very poor decision taking someone's life no matter if he was a felon or not.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Was the decedent wanted on warrants by chance?

 

[phylodog]

But really: Chasing people over seatbelt violations? Isn't that a bit much?

Yeah, it sure is. Until that person who was only being stopped for a seat belt violation failed to put it on because they had a kidnapped child in the trunk or had just murdered someone. It is completely unreasonable for someone to turn a minor infraction (seat belt ticket) into a felony (fleeing in a vehicle) without good cause. That decision is made by the person driving the car, not the police.

Was the officer justified in running this person over? Hell no. Was it done intentionally? I dunno, you tell me. If it was intentional then the officer should face the music and criminal charges he earned. If it was unintentional the blame lies with the person who chose to run.

 

[Meezer]

Was the officer justified in running this person over? Hell no. Was it done intentionally? I dunno, you tell me. If it was intentional then the officer should face the music and criminal charges he earned. If it was unintentional the blame lies with the person who chose to run.

Let's see:

the cop leaves the roadway, drives over 100 yards off road with his car into a lot/vegetable garden, hits, runs over & kills the guy.

Yes, I would say it was intentional.

 

[Stickfight]

It is completely unreasonable for someone to turn a minor infraction (seat belt ticket) into a felony (fleeing in a vehicle) without good cause. That decision is made by the person driving the car, not the police.

Unless that person had bad prior experiences with the police. He might find it completely reasonable to take his chances on foot. That is at least as likely as him having a kidnapped child in his vehicle at the time of the stop, or being in the middle of a murder spree. Regardless I'm not sure society wants the police to be the arbiter of what is reasonable, as opposed to focusing all of their attention on remembering what the laws we ask them to enforce are/aren't.

But that isn't the point. You neatly lay the decision to flee on the dead guy, which is was. But the decision to use his vehicle to hunt him down then run over him was the officer's. There is absolutely nothing obligating the officer to undertake either of those actions, yet in his judgement it was the thing to do. I realize a number of officers are physically unable to run, at all, but perhaps a foot pursuit would've killed fewer people?

 

[Pinchaser]

Pretty pretty warped twist to the story. Anyone the runs from a traffic stop is committing a felony irregardless of what the stop was for. As for the now departed felon I seriously doubt he was run over on purpose. The moral to this story is don't flee when you are getting pulled over.

Bingo! These sensationalists create this nonsense left and right, trying to make the cops out to be bad guys. The simple truth that they always want to avoid is exactly what you posted: the guy caused his own trouble.

No sympathy. Darwin has spoken.

 

[Sharpie]

The decision to flee law enforcement was the suspect's.
He set in motion the events that occurred, and is responsible for the outcome.
I seriously doubt that the police officer who ran over him did it intentionally.
Bottom line? Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Zero sympathy from me for a-holes who flee from police and put everyone at risk. At least this particular mope won't be doing it again.

 

[Expat]

The vic had 2 dozen arrests, just got out of jail for a possession charge...

 

[rambone]

He must have been afraid the police would beat or kill him. Silly guy.

 

[Bigtanker]

Maybe the rookie cop just wants to rid the streets of law breakers. Or maybe he made a mistake. Maybe he made no mistake and it was a case of wrong place, wrong time for the perp and cop. I hate to rush judgment before all the facts are in. Dashcam hopefully can help.

 

[rw496]

I think they should charge the SUSPECT with his own murder since he caused someone to be killed during the commission of a felony