Washington (AFP) – The detective who arrested top-ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler in Kentucky last week has been reprimanded for not turning on his body-worn camera during the arrest, the local police chief said Thursday.
Scheffler, 27, is facing multiple charges stemming from a traffic incident on Friday outside the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, where the US PGA Championship was being held.
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He is charged with felony assault of a police officer, criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic and is to be arraigned on June 3.
Louisville Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel told reporters that the detective who made the arrest had violated policy by failing to turn on his camera.
The detective, Bryan Gillis, has been “counseled by his supervisor,” Gwinn-Villaroel said.
“We understand the seriousness of the failure to capture this interaction, which is why our officer has received corrective action,” she said.
As for the charges facing Scheffler, Gwinn-Villaroel said “we respect the judicial process and we will allow the courts to proceed accordingly.”
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said meanwhile that video of Scheffler’s arrest would be released later Thursday.
The video is from a fixed pole camera across the street and from the dashcam of a police car, he said.
Scheffler’s attorney Steve Romines has said the golfer will plead not guilty to the charges and chalked the incident up to a “huge misunderstanding.”
Officers arrested Scheffler after he allegedly tried to go around a traffic jam as police investigated an earlier fatal accident.
Police said Scheffler’s vehicle accelerated and dragged a police officer, who had injuries that required hospital treatment.
Scheffler was released in time to play the second round and finished the PGA Championship in a four-way tie for eighth place.
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