State Trooper On Leave After 2019 Fairfax County Traffic Stop

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — A Virginia state trooper is on administrative leave and faces a criminal investigation for his conduct against a Black driver during a 2019 traffic stop in Fairfax County.

Video of the April 20, 2019, encounter between State Trooper Charles Hewitt and Derrick Thompson of Woodbridge emerged earlier this week on social media. Erlich Law Office, the law firm representing Thompson, claimed he was heading to work when "Hewitt terrorized and assaulted him."

According to a Virginia State Police news release, the traffic stop happened at the 51 mile marker of the northbound Capital Beltway. A state trooper conducting a traffic stop reportedly detected a strong odor of marijuana from Thompson's vehicle and found he was driving on a suspended driver's license. Additional troopers were called to the scene to assist.

State police allege Thompson refused to comply with repeated requests to get out of his vehicle. About 10 minutes later, Hewitt told Thompson he was under arrest. As Thompson refused to leave the vehicle, Hewitt forcibly removed Thompson from the vehicle.

Thompson's own video shows part of the encounter. The video begins with Hewitt unlocking and opening the driver's side door of Thompson's vehicle.

"Take a look at me. I'm a f------ specimen right here buddy," Hewitt says in the video. "You have gotten on my last nerve, alright? You are gonna get your a-- whooped in front of f--- lord and all creation."

Thompson repeatedly says he feels unsafe, has his hands up and is not threatening the officer. He also claimed he was unlawfully detained.

Hewitt goes on to say he is giving Thompson a chance to get out of the vehicle, and he could even record the encounter. Thompson responds in the video, saying he was threatened by a law enforcement officer and that two officers were standing by. Hewitt tells Thompson he is under arrest for disobeying a law enforcement officer.

Then Hewitt points at the camera and says "watch the show" as he grabs Thompson by the neck and pulls him out.

The video's audio continues even as Thompson is taken out of the vehicle.

"How do you like that motherf-----?" Hewitt is heard saying.

Thompson repeats, "my hands are behind my back," "I am not resisting" "get off my neck" and "you are harming me" before the video cuts out.

Virginia State Police Superintendent Col. Gary Settle said in a statement he received the 2-minute video clip. The law enforcement agency says it first received a complaint about the incident this week.

"The conduct displayed by Trooper Hewitt during the course of the traffic stop is not in agreement with the established standards of conduct required of a Virginia trooper," said Settle. "Nor is it characteristic of the service provided daily across the Commonwealth of Virginia by Virginia State Police personnel."

Thompson had been charged with obstruction of justice, driving on a suspended license and for an expired inspection decal. Although an odor of marijuana was mentioned as a factor in the traffic stop, a marijuana charge against Thompson was not announced.

The Erlich Law Office said it sent a letter to Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring about Hewitt. The Attorney General's Office referred a Washington Post inquiry to Virginia State Police.

Virginia State Police initiated a criminal investigation into the incident. Upon completion, the file will be turned over to the commonwealth's attorney for review and adjudication. Hewitt is on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation.

Warning: this video contains expletives and violent images that may be disturbing for some readers.