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ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell says Rep. John Thompson bullied officers and misused his official place throughout his daughter’s visitors cease over the weekend.
In accordance with a police report, the incident passed off Sunday afternoon as an officer was working a state-funded Towards Zero Loss of life element. The officer noticed a van swerving out of its lane on Interstate 35E, in order that they ran the license plates and found the registration had expired two years beforehand.
READ MORE: Rep. John Thompson Agrees To Pay High-quality In Visitors Cease Case
After the motorist exited at Cayuga Road and stopped at a purple gentle, the officer confirmed the expired registration and tried to tug over the car. Police say the motorist didn’t pull over initially, and the officer had to make use of their siren a number of occasions earlier than the motorist pulled over on Westminster Road.
Police say the motorist was not cooperative, so the officer known as for backup.
Further officers arrived on the scene, positioned a pursuit terminator below the van’s tires and one other officer tried to talk with the driving force.
“Whereas this was taking place, one other car approached the scene at a excessive charge of pace and stopped in entrance of the van,” police mentioned. “A person received out of the car and commenced yelling at officers, expressing displeasure with remedy of the van’s driver (who he recognized as his daughter) and the variety of officers on the visitors cease. He additionally recognized himself by handing out enterprise playing cards.”
Police mentioned the enterprise playing cards recognized the person as Thompson, who “continued to yell and scream in an irate style” whereas mentioning his elected place a number of occasions.
The officers instructed the driving force to get out of the van for subject sobriety checks, however the driver once more refused, police mentioned. Officers mentioned that if she didn’t exit the van, she’d be charged with refusing a subject sobriety take a look at.
READ MORE: Minnesota Home DFL Votes To Expel Rep. John Thompson From Caucus
In accordance with police, officers finally allowed the driving force to go residence together with her father, Thompson, and determined to cost her out of custody. It was at that time, the driving force received out of the van and went with Thompson.
The police chief spoke out concerning the incident in a social media put up Monday, saying the visitors cease “turned ugly quick.”
“Right here we go once more,” Axtell mentioned. “It’s an absolute disgrace—that an elected official would try and intimidate and bully law enforcement officials, that he would misuse his official place, that officers doing their jobs ought to need to endure illegitimate claims of racism, that John Thompson remains to be serving within the Legislature.”
Axtell says his officers had been put in a tough place and made the very best determination they may to de-escalate the scenario.
“I want state legislation allowed us to launch the physique worn digital camera footage. However we are able to’t right now,” Axtell mentioned. “Nevertheless, Rep. Thompson or his daughter can. And I encourage them to take action. Possibly then one thing will change.”
Final yr, Thompson was pulled over on the Fourth of July in downtown St. Paul for driving with no entrance license plate. He confirmed an expired Wisconsin driver’s license in the course of the cease.
MORE NEWS: State Rep. John Thompson Now Holds A Minnesota Driver’s License
Thompson accused an officer who pulled him over of racial profiling, sparking outcry from police, who mentioned the cease was by the books. Thompson later apologized.
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