Man Arrested 4 Not Risking his Life to help a Cop

[WaTcHeR]

08/11/2005 - A judge may have to sort it all out after Skinner was arrested Thursday for allegedly refusing to help a police officer who was trying to subdue a 15-year-old car theft suspect.

The stolen car is the one on which Skinner only moments before had helped to change a flat tire, as a favor to what he thought was a group of stranded kids.

"I’m always trying to do the right thing and then something like this happens," Skinner said.

The 40-year-old Wood River man’s unwitting scrape with the law began around 3 p.m. after he and another man helped to change the tire in the 800 block of Haller Avenue, a short distance from where Skinner lives in the 100 block of Thompson Avenue.

Skinner was still standing by the car, along with three juveniles, when Wood River Police Officer Darrell Jose pulled up after spotting the car, a black 1997 Pontiac Grand Am that had been reported stolen in Alton.

Police said when the officer approached the vehicle, the 15-year-old attempted to flee and the officer caught him.
"A struggle ensued during which time the suspect attempted to remove the officer’s handgun," Deputy Police Chief William Webber said.

Webber said the suspect was actually able to reach Jose’s gun holster and unsnap it, at which point the officer asked Skinner to help subdue the teenager. "After refusing to assist the officer, the male (Skinner) was ordered to assist the officer and again failed to comply," a department release states.

At that point, additional officers from Wood River and East Alton police departments arrived and got the situation under control.

A misdemeanor charge filed in Madison County Circuit Court against Skinner states that Jose requested the man’s assistance in helping to subdue a 15-year-old juvenile and he refused. The charge states that Skinner "knowingly failed, upon the command of Officer Jose, to give reasonable aid to the officer in apprehension."

Skinner said he never heard Jose ask for his assistance.

"I was zoned in on the kid who was lying on the ground bleeding," he said. "I really didn’t hear much of anything."

As the teenager struggled, Skinner said he yelled at him to cooperate and not resist.

Within minutes, Skinner himself was being whisked to the Wood River police station, where he spent the next four hours in jail -- in only a pair of shorts -- before being released on $75 bond.

"I saw my life flash before me as I sat in that jail," Skinner said. "I’ve never been arrested before."

Webber said Illinois law allows police to seek charges against someone who does not assist an officer if asked as the officer is making an arrest. It might seem extreme, he said, but some circumstances warrant it.

The Grand Am, owned by a 24-year-old Jerseyville resident, had been reported stolen around 12:30 p.m. at the Shop ’N Save in Alton.

When the officer pulled up to the Haller location, he saw Skinner, the 15-year-old, a 16-year-old male and a 12-year-old female.

Skinner never asked the teenager if he was driving a stolen vehicle or even if he was old enough to drive.

"That’s not something you think about when trying to help someone out," he said. "To me he just looked like some kid who was driving his parent’s car."

Skinner said the whole ordeal of being jailed has been overwhelming, He said that six months ago he moved back to the area from California to be near family. He said he is a responsible citizen, works full time and received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army and Army National Guard, in which he served more than 10 years.

The pending charge has so far cost him time and money -- neither of which he can afford to lose.

"Who knows how much more it could cost me?" he said.

Webber said detectives with the Alton Police Department are jointly investigating the case with Wood River. All three youths are from Alton.

He said the 15-year-old is being charged in Madison County Juvenile Court with offenses relating to motor vehicles, attempting to disarm a peace officer and resisting a peace officer. He said the youth was treated for minor injuries by Wood River Fire Department paramedics and then taken to Alton Memorial Hospital, where he treated and transported to the Madison County Juvenile Detention Home in Edwardsville.

He said the 16-year-old and 12-year-old were being charged with offenses relating to motor vehicles and were released into the custody of their parents.

Police officer Jose received minor injuries and refused treatment.

[WaTcHeR]

Expecting a citizen to help out a police officer should be the choice of the citizen to risk their life, not the choice of a police officer or the government. The police are trained in life and death situations, and expecting a citizen to risk life or limb is ridiculous.

The police officer must have been scared shitless to the point of begging a "suspect" to step in and put his own life on the line. I say the citizen made the right choice. That's a scary Illinois State law!

Should be interesting if this goes to court, just to see how the government would rule. I would expect charges will probably be dropped on this case at some point. As far as a police officer commanding someone to risk their life or do something dangerous is ludicrous.

The Supreme Court has always ruled that the police have NO RIGHT to protect citizens from harm, so why should a citizen be punished for not risking their life?

[WaTcHeR]

08/13/2005 - Officials said charges against a 40-year-old man for refusing to aid an officer could be dropped; however, police first must complete their investigation into the matter.

Peter Skinner, of the 100 block of Thompson Avenue, is charged with a misdemeanor for refusing to help Police Officer Darrell Jose when asked for his assistance on Aug. 4. The charge states that Skinner "knowingly failed, upon the command of Officer Jose, to give reasonable aid to the officer in apprehension."

Skinner’s scrape with the law started after Wood River police caught up with a juvenile who allegedly stole a car and then resisted arrest. Moments before police arrived, Skinner had helped the juvenile and two other youths change a flat tire on the car, which he did not know was stolen.

Police said Jose spotted three youths -- a 15-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl -- near a reported stolen car in the 800 block of Haller Avenue.

Deputy Police Chief William Webber said that when the officer approached the car, the 15-year-old attempted to flee and the officer caught him. Webber said a struggle ensued, at which time the suspect attempted to remove the officer’s pistol.

Webber said the suspect actually was able to reach Jose’s gun holster and unsnap it. He said it was at that moment that Jose asked for assistance from Skinner, and he refused.

Delores McLaughlin, 55, told The Telegraph she watched the arrest from her apartment. She said that when she heard the noise outside, she went into the kitchen and looked out the window.

"I thought it was a fight of some kind," McLaughlin said.

She said it surprised her when she saw that it was a police officer trying to subdue a teenager.

"The young man was lying on the ground, and the officer was on top of him," she said.

She said the teen wouldn’t lie still and kept bucking to try to get the officer off of him.

"I could see (Jose) was getting very upset," McLaughlin said.

She said she watched Jose use a Taser on the young man several times but that the youth didn’t seem to stop moving around. She said that during the whole time that Jose struggled with the juvenile, she never heard him ask Skinner for assistance.

McLaughlin said she believed the officer was in control of the situation because of his use of force and didn’t need Skinner’s assistance.

Skinner, who had left the immediate area after helping to change the flat tire, told The Telegraph that he approached Jose and the youth during the struggle.

"Officer Jose was already out of his patrol car and violently subduing the suspect," Skinner said. "At this point, I moved to within seven yards of the scene to better witness what was going on."

Skinner said Jose’s squad car blocked his view. He said he believed that by staying back, he would not be interfering.

"My concern was for both the teen and the officer," he said.

He said he could see that Jose was extremely well-trained and appeared to be in charge of the situation and in no apparent danger from the youth.

"My focus was on the bloodied face of the teen, whose head was turned toward me," Skinner said.

He said he never heard Jose ask for assistance and was dumbfounded by the charge. He said he yelled at the teen to stop resisting. He said he saw the youth shocked with the Taser at least four times but he would not lie still to allow Jose to handcuff him.

"I told him, ‘Just lay down, man, stop resisting," Skinner said.

He said the 12-year-old girl started yelling and that at no time did he hear Jose ask for assistance.

"Would I have assisted upon Jose’s command to assist? Yes," he said. "I would have done anything to stop watching the kid get hurt."

Webber said he understands Skinner’s plight; however, the charges cannot be dropped until the investigation is complete. Because the case is ongoing and involves juveniles, Webber said he couldn’t comment about specifics.

However, he said he is concerned because people are saying they saw the event and alleged wrongdoing by Jose but no one is coming forward. He said when the Police Department receives a complaint about an officer’s actions, it is taken seriously.

"If there are witnesses, they should come forward," Webber said.

He said people should not forget the seriousness of the charges against the 15-year-old and the fact that he resisted arrest and tried to grab an officer’s gun. He noted the youth continued to resist even after Jose used his Taser on him.

Webber said Jose is an outstanding officer who was shot and wounded in the line of duty several years ago.

Skinner said he doesn’t want people to criticize Jose or the Police Department for doing their job. But he said police should explain their actions to those who witnessed the events.

"I would also like to know what we all might have done differently -- police and public alike," he said.

Skinner said his simple act of kindness last week has turned his quiet life into chaos. He said he would like the charge against him dropped so he can move on.

[WaTcHeR]

Deputy Police Chief Webber mentions "he is concerned because people are saying they saw the event and alleged wrongdoing by Jose but no one is coming forward. He said when the Police Department receives a complaint about an officer’s actions, it is taken seriously."

I’m wondering if Deputy Chief Webber has investigated and questioned any residents in the area, to what they might have saw or "heard" that afternoon. The media doesn’t seem to have any trouble getting statements.

I’m trying to understand officer Webber’s statement on "complaints," what complaints are you speaking of? The officer was obviously trying his best with what he had. A stun gun that was uneffective, or was it? On top of that the officer is allegedly being over powered by a 15-year-old, who is trying to disarm the officer. Perhaps the complaint you speak of is, the citizen could be telling the truth and didn’t hear the officer make such a command, or officer Jose never made such a command. Does you department use dash cam’s? Is there a recording of that afternoon from the officers car? This would probably help greatly don’t you think? This was a felony stop, was the cam turned on???

[WaTcHeR]

Don't the police always tell citizens to leave it to the professionals, that citizens shouldn't get involved? I might have called "911" and waited to see what the response time might have been.

The function of the police is to maintain social order "peace keepers," not to "protect and serve."