Posted on 11/03/2009 3:22:49 PM PST by BGHater
FAIRBANKS — An 81-year-old man was Tasered during a traffic stop last week.
It is the second time since 1998 that police have had to make a show of force during a traffic stop to arrest Glen M. Wilcox, a Fairbanks-based Episcopalian priest and real estate agent.
Court documents allege that officers with Eielson Air Force Base’s 354th Security Forces Squadron pulled Wilcox over just after 1 p.m. Wednesday for going 11 miles over the speed limit on the Richardson Highway.
An officer, identified as a senior airman in court documents, took Wilcox’s license, registration and proof of insurance and wrote him a traffic citation. When he returned to Wilcox’s car, Wilcox refused to accept the documents and sped down the highway, according to a criminal complaint filed in court.
Wilcox disputes that version of events.
“They waved to me and I thought that meant I could go on,” Wilcox said. “They stopped me again and told me to get out of my car.”
Alaska State Troopers were notified of the incident, and the 354th “initiated a high-risk traffic stop” near 336 Mile Richardson Highway. When Wilcox, a former commander of the Civil Air Patrol, again stopped, he initially refused to roll down his window.
He eventually got out of his vehicle and was told to put his hands behind his back, something he claims is physically impossible for him.
“I showed them I could barely touch my fingertips and they insisted,” he said.
Charging documents allege Wilcox used profanity with the airmen. When they tried to handcuff him, Wilcox, described in court documents as being 6 feet 1 inch tall and 250 pounds, allegedly tried to jerk away from the airmen and used his body to push them around, a claim he also disputes.
After several warnings, one of the airmen used a Taser on Wilcox to take him into custody.
“It hurts like hell,” Wilcox said. “I’m laying on the ground when they Tasered me. It’s painful and very sharp.”
Wilcox said the incident left his arms bruised and he had to seek treatment at a doctor. He also obtained a lawyer but would not elaborate on how he intends to pursue the case.
“If I were their base commander, I would put them in jail,” he said. “Four young men in their 20s do not need to Taser and handcuff an 81-year-old.”
The next day, prosecutors dropped a charge of fourth-degree misdemeanor assault against Wilcox. He pleaded not guilty to counts of resisting arrest — a misdemeanor — and failure to stop at the direction of a peace officer, a felony. He later posted $250 bail.
Air Force regulations authorize law enforcement officials to use Tasers to arrest subjects who are actively resisting arrest or noncompliant with law enforcement orders, said Staff Sgt. James Stewart, a spokesman for Eielson. Regulations do not give different directives on how to deal with older subjects.
The airmen used a minimum amount of nonlethal force to resolve the situation, Stewart said.
In May 1998, Wilcox was accused of a similar incident when Fairbanks International Airport police pulled him over for driving with expired tags. Wilcox reportedly became belligerent with police and grabbed and twisted a female officer’s arm. In that case, he had to be pepper-sprayed to be taken into custody.
Wilcox said the truck he was driving at the time had an issue that it would not start again within five minutes of starting it up. He pulled the officer’s arm away to keep her from grabbing the key out of the ignition, he said.
He later pleaded guilty to a reduced count of disorderly conduct and a misdemeanor count of failure to stop at the direction of a peace officer. He successfully completed probation and more than 100 hours of community service.
Several people who said they knew Wilcox for decades wrote letters to the judge before sentencing, saying the incident was extremely out of character for him.
Btw, does this highway pass through the AFB? Does any FReeper know if this is on AFB jurisdiction or why the AF would be doing police duty on a highway?[Obviously depending if it's on the base].
First to say it, “PALIIN’S FAULT!”
yes
Did a search on it and it does go to the main gate at Eielson AFB, but, it does not say if the road goes through any part of the base - if it does, the the SFS had the right to pull him over ... I guess it works like it does here in WA where the tribal police have jurisdiction over state roads that go through the reservation ....
The Richardson Hwy passes next to & outside the base. The runway parallels the highway. At least that's the way it was in the mid-70s.
When I read the headline all I could think was, "WTF?".
My guys at Ft. Wainwright weren't permitted to leave post, ever; never-mind, cruising Badger Road or the Richardson Hwy. Anyone caught would've been pulling permanent duty at Gate 4. LOL
Since he did it again, I'd say it's very "in character".
“Don’t Taze me, whippersnapper!”
Just a little to the southwest of me here in NJ is Plumstead Township and part of the main township road runs right through the middle of Fort Dix. Couple of years ago one of my kid brothers almost got his head blown off driving drunk through by some pretty p!ssed off MPs. This was just a little while after 9/11. They called the local cops, little bro got a DWI, a stern lecture from the MPs and happily doesn’t drink anymore.
A situation here was some local guys were up elk hunting. Tribal cops from almost 80 miles out of their jurisdiction arrested them - it’s in court now on false arrest charges against the tribal cops.
Wondering then if it’s going to part of national policy. Still again I wonder how much of that road was on military property ... cops get local assist here from the park rangers and tribal cops but not sure if the gov’t can deputize military cops to arrest citizens ... if so, that’s spooky ....
The last time I drove thru there, it was posted as AF property on both sides of the road.
Well then, that answers that ...
LOL
THE main hiway in Alaska, running North from Los Anchorage to the rest of the world passes thru Ft Richardson. It is joint jusristiction, in that the Army ALLOWS the State Troopers to deal with most of the issues, but ya, the last thing I want to see is some 18 Y/O with a machine gun pulling me over for something. (Just kidding they cary M-9 pistols)
The dude seems pretty fiesty for someone 81 years old, I guess the old sourdoughs just have a low tolerance for BS.... until the TASER came out, then they dance like everyone else.
80 miles from their jurisdiction? How the heck did they find these hunters? My kid brother was caught dead to rights though. Its a two lane road that he was on going right through Fort Dix and instead of pulling over, he just kept tearing up the road at about 75-80 mph. Had an Army Humvee chasing him. They finally got the local cops to put up a road block ahead of him. Wind up was between the MPs and the Plumstead cops little bro almost bought the farm. Got a DWI, probation etc. Almost went to the hoosecow. As I said this was about a month after 9/11. Damn stupid thing he did.
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