March 14, 2024 – Port Charlotte, FL
An arrest during which a male suffered minor injuries has been falsely represented on social media, prompting misinformation, rumors, and accusations of the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
Just before 4:00pm on Wednesday, March 13, deputies responded to a call at WaWa located at 2525 Tamiami Tr. in reference to a black male who appeared to be asleep or passed out on the patio. After management asked the individual to leave several times, they notified the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and asked that the male be asked to leave by law enforcement.
Deputies arrived and observed the man, identified as Tedrick Page (8/27/2004), who appeared to be under the influence of narcotics or another substance, on the patio. As they made contact with Page – who is well-known to the deputies from prior incidents – they immediately realized that he was not acting like his usual self. In prior interactions, Page had been respectful to law enforcement and cooperative. The deputies asked Page if he was OK and if they could call EMS to medically evaluate him. Page ignored the deputies and began to walk toward the store. EMS was requested to respond anyway, based on how different Page was behaving from the deputies’ familiarity with him.
Seeing that Page was unsteady on his feet, the deputies pleaded with him to sit and talk with them instead of attempting to enter the premises. Again, Page ignored their requests. At this time, deputies warned Page about going inside and that he would be taken into custody if he continued. Page entered the first set of doors to the business, where deputies then attempted to place him under arrest. As they attempted to take him into custody, Page actively resisted and was taken to the ground, suffering just a cut to his mouth area. Still, he continued to resist.
One of the deputies utilized his agency-issued baton to pry Page’s arm out from under his stomach in order to secure him in handcuffs. This tactic is within CCSO agency policy and procedures, and the deputy then put the baton away once Page’s arm was secured.
“I cannot believe that I have to release this statement at all to squash the nonsense, misinformation, and rumors that are being spread by a handful of individuals through their modified video release. Anyone who knows what we stand for knows that this agency does not tolerate excessive force, racism, or the type of hateful policing that these few people are attempting to smear us with. My deputies tried to help this individual and did not want to make an arrest, but were given no choice because of his decisions. I stand by my deputies’ actions which were clearly within our policies.”
Sheriff Bill Prummell
After taking Page into custody, he then spat blood directly in the face of one of the arresting officers, as well as a civilian outside the business. Page was taken to a local hospital for a cut to his lip and medically cleared before being transported to the Charlotte County Jail. Body-worn camera footage can be viewed below.
(VIDEO)
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