A traffic stop that began with a possible seat belt violation turned into a roadside confrontation after a passenger refused to get out of the car in Cocoa Beach, Florida. He questioned why he was being detained and was eventually pulled through a broken window by police. The driver appeared confused and upset. The passenger continued asking what crime he had committed throughout the encounter, getting increasingly agitated.
According to the video, the stop began when Officer Stanley Carter with the Cocoa Beach Police Department pulled over a white sedan because he believed the front-seat passenger may not have been wearing a seat belt. The driver, identified in the video as Melissa, told the officer the passenger had been asleep. She also pointed out that he had put the seat belt on before they pulled over.
The passenger, identified by officers as Sean, became the focus of the stop after police said he appeared to be staring at officers, reaching around and not following commands. The officer told him more than once to stop moving around, stay in the vehicle, and then eventually step out. Sean pushed back instead of complying and continued to “What’s my crime?” He argued that he hadn’t broken the law.
What happened next was a broken passenger-side window, officers pulling Sean out of the car, a Taser deployment, water being used to rinse his eyes and a trip to be medically cleared. The video does not clearly state what charges, if any, were ultimately filed.
What Police Say Happened
According to the bodycam footage, Officer Carter stopped the vehicle after noticing what he believed was a seat belt issue involving the passenger. Carter approached the driver’s side and explained that he was concerned for everyone’s safety because the passenger appeared not to be properly belted.
Melissa told police Sean may have been having a manic episode, but Sean insisted he was fine. The situation escalated, however, when officers said Sean wasn’t following their directions. Instead, he appeared agitated, kept questioning the stop ,and refused all commands to step out of the car. Officers explained that the stop was for the passenger seat belt issue, but Sean continued asking what crime he had committed as if he didn’t understand.
At one point, officers warned Sean that they’d break the window if he didn’t unlock the door and get out. He refused, so police broke the passenger window, opened the door, and pulled him from the vehicle. Sean was then taken to the ground and still argued with officers.
The Facts About the Stop
Sean repeatedly told officers he hadn’t done anything wrong. Instead, he kept repeating “What’s my crime?” over and over again. He also argued that he was “in the car,” that he had not broken any law and that officers were using excessive force against him.
When officers ordered Sean to get out, he sat right where he was. He questioned the command, argued with police, and stayed inside the passenger seat until the window was broken. After he was removed, he continued yelling that he’d nothing wrong and complained about his eyes after the use of force.
Police later brought him water seemed to rinse his eyes. They also confirmed he had been medically cleared. Even after that, he still resisted officers while they tried to get him into a police cruiser.
By the end of the encounter, Sean had seemingly tired himself out a bit, but was still extremely belligerent.