A group of bikers and several police cars in Dallas, Texas, were involved in a bizarre incident that was captured on film during Memorial Day weekend on May 27.
It all started when a squad car was taunted and harassed by a couple of motorcyclists that appear to belong to the same group traveling on Stemmons Freeway.
The Dallas Sheriff’s Office released footage from a dash cam video that shows the reckless bikers slamming on their brakes and blocking the police car’s path on the highway.
Shortly after, the cop pulls over a pickup truck with people sitting on the open bed and which was traveling alongside the bikers.
Before the police officer comes out, a female passenger hands over something to one rider and moments after she hops onto another bike and leaves the scene. At the same time, we see other motorcyclists, evidently from the same group, driving on the wrong way of Stemmons Freeway.
Now here’s where this story gets twisted. Later in the day, a different cop, Deputy James Westbrook, caught up with a group of riders and pulled over biker Chris Moore who had a visible camera on his helmet. From the video, it appears that Moore was not one of the bikers that had harassed the cops earlier in the day.
When Moore asked why he was stopped, Westbrook initially told him because he belonged to the group of motorcyclists and that he wanted the camera for evidence.
This is what Moore’s camera recorded:
Moore: “Was I doing something wrong? What am I being pulled over for?”
Westbrook: “The whole group of you guys.”
Moore: “No. I was not, individually. How can you pull me over?”
Westbrook: “The reason you’re being pulled over is because I’m gonna take your camera, and we’re gonna use it as evidence of… in the crimes that have been committed by other bikers.”
Moore: “I have not committed any crimes and you cannot take my personal property from me, sir.”
Westbrook: “That’s fine. Need to see your license and registration.”
The cop then goes to his car and returns back telling Moore that he is being arrested for a concealed rear license plate!
Westbrook: “You’re under arrest for your license plate being obstructed. Place your hands…”
Moore: “Are you kidding me, dude?”
Westbrook: “Place your hands behind your back.”
The police deputy then arrests Moore and places him in the car while also retrieving the camera from his helmet.
But the story doesn’t end there as according to a report from WFAA TV, the Dallas Sheriff’s Office has now launched an internal affairs investigation into the conduct of deputy Westbrook who has to explain his actions.
Toby Shook, a former Dallas County Prosecutor, told the news station that in this case, the officer needed “a warrant to get that piece of evidence”.
You can watch the videos from both the police car dash cam and the biker’s helmet right past the break.
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