Caught On Video: Ft. Collins PD Investigates Off-Duty Cop's Arrest Of Alleged Female Speeder

FORT COLLINS, CO --Fort Collins Police Services is conducting an internal review over an incident involving an off-duty officer who was caught on video throwing a woman to the ground during an arrest for alleged traffic violations Friday, they announced. Colorado State University students took video of the unnamed officer arguing with a woman in the parking lot behind an apartment building in the 1100 block of Plum Street around 3:30 p.m. and then taking her into custody.

Fort Collins police issued a statement on their Facebook page saying the off-duty officer, on his way to a work assignment, saw a car speeding and followed the driver until she parked.

"The officer attempted to make contact with the female driver who tried to leave the area on foot," a video statement by Spokeswoman Kate Kimball said. "The officer identified himself as law enforcement and, after a brief interaction, physically took her into custody."

The woman was given a careless driver citation and cited for obstructing an officer and released. Police did not identify the woman or the police officer.

CSU student Dylan Clark and his unnamed roommate said they heard a commotion and filmed the video from their apartment balcony. Clark said at first it looked like the two were arguing over a parking space after the woman exited her white SUV.
"I heard the guy yelling, 'You’re in big trouble missy, I got your plates you're in big trouble,'" and that's when we looked out the window," Clark said. "[The officer] started yelling 'I’m a cop, I’m a cop! You’re in big trouble,'" but we never saw a badge or any sort of uniform and we weren’t sure if he was actually a police officer," Clark said. "When she starts walking away, she just starts walking, he just grabs her yanks her down. That's when she started screaming. I was very concerned about the whole situation that he was so much bigger than her and he might hurt her."

Watch Dylan Clark's video of the arrest here:

Clark said the woman was placed in the back of a squad car by responding officers and the off-duty officer left the scene. Clark said he provided a witness statement to a responding officer who was "just trying to figure out what was going on," Clark said. "He was calm and collected, and asked us to give our full accounts of what happened. He asked me to send him the video, which I did," Clark said.

"My read on it was [the woman] didn’t know he was a cop at first. In fact, my roommate and I were never sure he was a cop until they let him go," Clark said. "What I saw seemed very extreme and very inappropriate."

The Fort Collins police asked for anyone with any additional information, who has not already spoken to police, to contact Lt. Kristy Volesky at 970-224-6020.

Image: Fort Collins Police Services