An Illinois man plans to take legal action after an encounter with Indiana police left him with a broken jaw, broken cheekbones and several missing teeth.
Darrell Rhyme and his girlfriend, Jamesha McChristine, were on their way from Chicago to his godson’s basketball game in Greensburg, Indiana, when they stopped for gas. McChristine was driving, but Rhyme noticed they were followed by two patrol cars.
Greensburg Police said officers pulled the red Volkswagen Jetta over for “numerous violations” on March 3.
When officer Kaitlin Jackowicz walked up to the vehicle, she noticed the strong smell of marijuana coming from inside, the department said in a statement. McChristine reportedly gave the cops false identification documents.
That’s when Jackowicz told Rhyme to “step out of the car,” he told Atlanta Black Star.
“I said, ‘why do I need to get out the car?’” Rhyme said during a FaceTime interview.
He has difficulty speaking and is currently taking medication that numbs the pain in his face. He is scheduled to undergo surgery on his nose and cheeks next week.
“I said, ‘What I got to get out the car for?’ She said, ‘Step out the car before I snatch you out the car.’”
Rhyme said out of fear of what would happen next, he told McChristine to drive off. She shifted the gear and sped away. Rhyme, who is Black, said he didn’t know much about the mostly white town they were driving through. Greensburg is 91 percent white.
Greensburg Police said McChristine drove over 100 mph and led officers on a chase before the pair got out of the car that was low on fuel and ran.
“During the foot pursuit Rhyme ignored the commands of the officers to stop resisting,” Greensburg Police said in a statement. “A Taser was deployed by an assisting agency and Rhyme was taken into custody.”
Greensburg Police said Rhyme was taken to a hospital for treatment for injuries from a fall during the pursuit. He said…
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