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Man charged after traffic stop tussle

By By DEBORAH BUCKHALTER Floridan Staff Writer
Published: November 13, 2009

A Marianna man was charged with multiple offenses Wednesday following a traffic stop that turned into a struggle with arresting officers, according to Lt. Francis Davis of the Marianna Police Department.
Jimmy Bryant, 19, is charged with carrying a concealed weapon, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting with violence, possession of alcohol by a person under 21 years of age, and criminal mischief.
A Marianna police officer pulled Bryant over Wednesday on South Street, because he was allegedly driving 60 miles an hour in a 35 mph zone, Davis said.
After the officer activated his lights, the Chevrolet Impala continued traveling about a half-mile, according to Davis, but finally stopped.
The officer who pulled Bryant over reported a strong odor of cannabis coming from the car, and deployed a narcotics-detection canine. The dog alerted on the vehicle, and a search ensued.
A large amount of “shake,” or marijuana residue, was strewn in the floor of the vehicle, Davis said, and the officer also found a handgun and a liter-bottle of vodka that was three-quarters full.
During the stop, Bryant became “verbally combative, yelling obscenities at the officer,” Davis reported.
By the time the initial officer was preparing to arrest Bryant, back-up had arrived.
As the two officers tried to place Bryant under arrest, he allegedly began kicking, pulling away and fighting with the two, Davis said.
When Bryant was finally placed in the police cruiser, with his hands cuffed behind his back, he allegedly began kicking the interior of the car.
“He kicked it so hard that the door was flexing, and he busted the switch panel off the door,” Davis said.
Bryant also began hitting his head against the arrest cage in the cruiser, according to Davis.
To prevent Bryant from harming himself, the officers took him out of the police car and re-cuffed him, this time with his hands in front and with a chain leading from the handcuffs to a pair of leg shackles.
Bryant was placed back in the car and taken to jail without further incident.
As of late Thursday morning, Bryant was being held on $37,000 bond.