By: Scott Madaus Updated: May 10, 2016
An unusual law enforcement scene unfolded in Arkansas, Monday afternoon, as a state trooper pulled over and ticketed a Jericho police officer was driving a marked patrol car while on duty.
Jericho Police Chief Roy Hill told FOX13 it is one of the most ridiculous things he’s seen in his law enforcement career, and there is much more to the story than meets the eye.
The latest series of events unfolded just after 2 p.m. on Highway 77 in Jericho.
“There was no cause to pullover a marked police car with blue lights (and) with officers in the car, and tell them, ‘Y’all ain’t got your seatbelts on. Y’all are speeding,’” Chief Hill told FOX13 when discusses the incident.
Chief Hill said the debacle dates back February, when a 19-year-old was stopped and issued a citation for speeding. A ticket was given to the individual, but the chief later got a call from the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Office asking a professional courtesy.
“He just told us it was a son of a trooper Mickey Strayhorn,” Chief Hill said of the ticketed individual.
The ticket was dropped by the Jericho Police Department.
But fast forward four weeks, and the same teen was stopped by a Jericho police officer. Once again, it was for speeding.
Chief Hill said the teen was traveling 57 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone.
“So I contacted the sheriff and advised him. I said hey the young man came back through speeding again. He said ok. He said you would’ve thought the kid would’ve learned his lesson, but he didn’t,” Chief Hill told FOX13.
That brings us to Monday.
Chief Hill said he and his officers saw an Arkansas state trooper driving in area earlier in the day.
“That’s not unusual because troopers come here. We normally talk and chat about different stuff,” Chief Hill told FOX13.
But a short time later, something unexpected happened. A fully marked Jericho police car was pulled over by that same state trooper.
“This here is just, you know to me, harassment, to me, abuse of authority and total retaliation,” Chief Hill said.
The trooper gave the Jericho police officer a warning ticket for speeding and not wearing a seatbelt. One of the Jericho officers quickly called the chief, who responded to the scene in disbelief.
“I said what a Trooper? And I said y’all are in a in a squad car, a police car (with) big letters ‘Jericho Police Department’ on there? I mean, it shocked me,” Chief Hill said.
The twisting and turning story does not end there.
Hill said the state trooper who pulled the officers over is the father of the 19-year-old who had been repeatedly pulled over for speeding.
“When they gave me the name on the warning citation, the name is Strayhorn. And I said hey that’s the trooper whose son we gave the ticket to,” Chief Hill said.
Now, the chief of the Jericho Police Department wants justice.
“You coming to a town like this here and retaliate because one of your sons got a ticket, that is so disrespectful,” Chief Hill said.
Chief Hill says he will be writing a formal complaint to the state of Arkansas.