Roswell Officer Breaks Woman's Jaw During Arrest

ROSWELL, GA -- A traffic stop conducted last week turned violent, as an officer with the Roswell Police Department struck a woman in the face while trying to make an arrest.

The Roswell Police Department said the incident started around 10 p.m. Nov. 9 when officer James Van Alstine observed a Honda Accord waiting at the private entrance of Starbucks at 10800 Alpharetta Highway.

Van Alstine detected an odor of marijuana coming from an open car window and observed "what appeared to be one of the occupants smoking," Roswell police said.

The officer conducted a traffic stop at the Shell station at 10861 Alpharetta Highway. Police say Van Alstine continued to smell marijuana upon his approach to the vehicle and the passenger, identified as Shanita Maeberry, "admitted to smoking marijuana."

Van Alstine asked both occupants to exit the car, and additional marijuana was found inside the Honda Accord.

Roswell police provided five videos of the incident. One was captured by a patrol vehicle's dash camera and the remaining four were captured on department-issued body cameras. The dash cam video is the only one with audio of the incident.

In dash cam video, Van Alstine informs Maeberry that the marijuana found in the car was inside her purse -- a discovery he points out was captured on his body camera.

She challenges the officer's discovery, adding that the drugs were not in "plain view." The officer responded by saying she could "hide drugs" inside her purse.

"Well, I don't know where you got your law degree from, but it's no good," the officer continued.

Another officer asks Van Alstine if he's "done," and the officer replies, "Yeah, I'm done with her."

It was following that discovery that things turned violent between the officer and the passenger. As Van Alstine tried to arrest Maeberry, Roswell police say she allegedly resisted arrest by pulling away from the officer.

"Maeberry was instructed multiple times to stop, but she continued to resist by flailing her arms at the officers and punching Officer Van Alstine in his face," Roswell police said. "Officer Van Alstine subsequently struck Maeberry once in her face to gain control."

On the dash cam video, Maeberry tells officers to "let me go." After the alleged punch, one officer could be heard repeatedly telling Val Alstine to "let her go," but the officer responds by saying, "I got her."

Van Alstine then informs Maeberry that she allegedly struck him, a charge the woman can be heard denying on the dash cam video.

The officers "immediately deescalated" their use of force and Maeberry informed officers that her mouth was sore.

Rural/Metro ambulance was dispatched to the scene and informed Maeberry that she only suffered "superficial injuries."

Maeberry was transported to the Roswell Detention Center and upon transfer to the Fulton County Jail, Roswell police said she complained of mouth pain and was refused intake by staff members.

Roswell police transported Maeberry to a local hospital where it was determined her jaw was broken. Records show she was booked into the Fulton County Jail on Friday, Nov. 11 on felony obstruction of an officer and possession of marijuana charges.

She posted a $3,500 bond the same day and was released. Roswell police spokesperson Lisa Holland said Van Alstine was not injured and remains on duty with the department.

In a Facebook status update posted Sunday, Maeberry said her jaw was fractured in two places and her mouth will be wired shut for eight weeks.

"He would never understand the awesome person I really am, he just see skin color (sic)," she said, referring to Val Alstine. "He would never know that I never been in trouble with the law. He would never know I have a degree in criminal justice, he would never know that I'm a lover and not a fighter. He will never know how funny and cool I am. All he will ever know is I'm the black girl he attacked."

Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta on Monday said it planned to organize a protest at 7 p.m. Monday evening at Roswell City Hall to call for the "immediate firing" of Van Alstine.

Images via screenshots from videos provided by Roswell Police Department