Arkansas trooper’s use of force under review after high-speed chase

An Arkansas state trooper's use of force is under review after dash-camera video showed a man being repeatedly pulled by his hair and punched following a high-speed pursuit.

(NBC)- An Arkansas state trooper’s use of force is under review after dash-camera video showed a man being repeatedly pulled by his hair and punched following a high-speed pursuit.

Police said the chase happened last month, with the driver of an SUV reaching speeds of 130 mph. Troopers deployed spike strips and attempted multiple times to ram the vehicle before the SUV eventually spun around and came to a stop. Video shows the driver moving into the back seat and out of the camera’s view. Seconds later, Arkansas State Trooper Teddy Henderson approached the SUV with his gun drawn.

Henderson used a baton to break a window before ordering passenger Tedrick Washington to crawl out of the vehicle. The video shows Washington saying he could not get out as the officer ordered him through the shattered window after a door initially would not open. The trooper is then seen repeatedly pulling Washington by his hair and punching him in the face.

Police arrested Washington and charged him with obstruction of governmental operations and resisting arrest. The driver faces nine charges, including driving while intoxicated. Arkansas State Police said it would not comment on specific incidents but said any use of force is a “regrettable last resort” and is carefully reviewed. The agency also said uses of force are driven by two common factors: unlawful activity and noncompliance.

Blytheville Mayor Melisa Logan acknowledged concerns surrounding the video, saying city leaders “fully understand the pain, anger and concern it continues to provoke.”