A disabled Black man was dragged out of his car by his hair last week by the Dayton Police Department during a traffic stop. The city’s police union says the officers followed procedure but others are calling for an investigation.
Dayton police say they stopped Clifford Owensby because they saw him leave a suspected drug house.
When officers told Owensby to get out of his car, Owensby said he couldn’t, because he is paraplegic and unable to walk. Officers then dragged him out of the car and handcuffed him on the street.
No drugs or weapons were found, but police said there was a large amount of cash in a bag in the car. Owensby was cited for having an unrestrained child in the backseat and for having tinted windows. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Local officials and political candidates have released statements of concern about the incident, and the Dayton Chapter of the NAACP say they are investigating the incident. A protest is planned for 8:30 a.m. this Wednesday morning during the Dayton City Commission meeting.
Environmental reporter Chris Welter is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms.
