TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Two deputies in Columbia County are under investigation after they arrested a blind man for carrying a walking stick they believed to be a gun.
Body cam video showed the encounter between James Hodges and the two deputies on Halloween as they approached him on the suspicion he was armed. Hodges said he was out walking earlier that morning to get to jury duty, but it was canceled.
In the video, a female deputy is seen exiting her vehicle and asking Hodges what he had in his back pocket.
“It’s a navigational aid,” Hodges said. “What’s the problem? You a tyrant?”
“Yeah, I am, actually,” the deputy responded. “What’s your name and date of birth?”
Hodges refused to give his information, saying that the deputy didn’t have reasonable suspicion of any criminal activity.
“Do you want me to put you in handcuffs?” the deputy told the man in response.
The deputy continued to say that she suspected that Hodges had a gun in his back pocket, so he pulled out the cane for her to see.
After showing the cane, Hodges asked if he was being detained.
“Yeah you are. What’s your name and date of birth?” the female deputy said.
Hodges asked to speak to the female deputy’s supervisor, who was at the scene. However, the encounter escalated when the supervisor asked for Hodges’ ID, only for him to refuse again.
The deputies then put the man in handcuffs and took his ID.
“Alright, Mr. Hodges. Was that that hard?” the female deputy said.
“It’s going to be,” Hodges told her. “I want your name and your badge number.”
The supervisor then told her to “put him in jail for resisting” before putting Hodges into the police vehicle.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office said it was aware of the incident and that the sheriff, Mark Hunter, was “troubled” after watching the video.
The sheriff’s office launched an administrative investigation into the incident on Nov. 3.
“If policy violations are sustained at the conclusion of that investigation, appropriate action will be taken,” A CCSO statement said. “While we understand the frustration and concern associated with this event, please know we are working to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.”
