You are correct, but it is his JOB not to let things escalate.
Considering he pulled her over for failing to signal a lane change, he could have overlooked the cigarette and gone on his way.
She just didn’t “respeck his AUTHORITAH!!” and now she is dead for it.
This guy should not be on the force, how did he get this far?
Her death is not related to the traffic stop. This cop had no access to her jail cell so the two are not related. She went to jail for fighting the cop; not for refusing his orders. She died because she killed herself.
Trying to link the two incidents is like saying John Doe died at home of a heart attack because he got a speeding ticket two weeks ago.