Roswell Officer Cleared After Breaking Woman's Jaw During Arrest

ROSWELL, GA -- The Roswell Police Department has cleared the officer who broke a woman's jaw last year while trying to place her under arrest outside a convenience store. Police Chief Rusty Grant cleared officer Jim Van Alstine in connection the arrest of Shanita Maeberry following a traffic stop conducted around 10 p.m. Nov. 9, 2016, at the Shell station at 10861 Alpharetta Highway.

Documents provided by the city show Van Alstine was administratively "exonerated" for the actions, which, according to the police department's manual, means the investigation "indicates that the act or acts complained of did occur, but were justified, lawful and proper." The memorandum was signed July 31 of this year.

The vehicle in question, a Honda Accord, was observed by Van Alstine waiting at the private entrance of Starbucks at 10800 Alpharetta Highway. The officer detected an odor of marijuana coming from an open car window and observed "what appeared to be one of the occupants smoking," Roswell police previously told Patch (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

He conducted the traffic stop and as he approached the vehicle, he continued to smell marijuana. The passenger, identified as 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 was the only one with audio of the incident.

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

The incident turned nasty following that exchange, as when Van Alstine tried to arrest Maeberry, the police department said she resisted by pulling away. The department added she was instructed multiple times to stop, but she continued to resist.

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The officer, the police department said, "subsequently struck Maeberry once in the face to gain control."

On the dash cam video, Maeberry told 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 informed Maeberry that she allegedly struck him, a charge the woman was heard denying on the dash cam video.

Maeberry was eventually transported to an area hospital where she was diagnosed with a broken jaw. She was later charged with felony obstruction and possession of marijuana charges.

The news of the altercation led to several members of the Black Lives Matter Atlanta chapter protesting at Roswell City Hall during a Council meeting and calling for Van Alstine's resignation.

Image via screenshot from video provided by Roswell Police Department