A Foley police officer tased an Arizona man at the Wal-Mart in Foley last week, and one observer caught the incident on video and posted it online.
Husband and wife Anthony Scott Smith, 41, and Chrisanna Elizabeth Smith, 40, both of Scottsdale, Ariz., were arrested Friday and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and second-degree assault on an officer.
According to Lt. Thurston Bullock, officer Caleb Bibby was conducting a walk-through of the business just before 11 p.m. and the couple allegedly began harassing Bibby and shouting at the officer.
"(Bibby) did a walkthrough of Wal-Mart and to pick up some cleaning supplies for his patrol car," Bullock said.
"While inside, they walk up to the officer and are in his personal space. They are berating him about being in there, on duty.
They want his name and badge number. They tell him that he is a traitor and committing treason because he is inside of Wal-Mart and shopping while on duty."
Bullock said officers are encouraged to do "walk-throughs" in local businesses to "create presence and let the owners and customers see them out and about," and officers are allowed to purchase something while at the business.
As Bibby was leaving the store, the couple allegedly continued shouting at him.
"They are extremely vocal, yelling and screaming and cussing at him," Bullock said.
"At that point they have crossed the line and he is able to arrest them for disorderly conduct for creating public annoyance or alarm."
Bibby tried to keep the situation under control until a backup officer arrived at the scene, Bullock said.
"Once outside, the officer goes above and beyond with his level of patience and restraint in trying to keep the scene frome escalating until his backup gets there," Bullock said. "(Bibby) is more than justified to use the Taser before it happens, however he is waiting for the backup to get there."
As Bibby tried to handcuff Anthony Smith, the man allegedly began physically attacking the officer.
Once the backup officer, Shawn Miller, arrived at the scene, Miller ordered Anthony Smith to get on the ground multiple times, Bullock said.
Bibby drew the Taser and used it on Anthony Smith after the man allegedly refused Miller's orders, Bullock said.
Once Anthony Smith was tased, Chrisanna Smith allegedly engaged Bibby violently, and Miller tackled the woman to the ground, Bullock said.
The couple was transported and booked into the Baldwin County Corrections Center, Bullock said, noting the incident was the first time a Taser was used by Foley police in the field.
"We were recently approved for the purchase of a Taser through the city council," Bullock said. "We all get tased as part of the training but that was the first time we deployed the elctronic device in the field."
Bullock claims he and other officers had a personal encounter with the couple a few weeks ago.
"About three weeks ago, I was eating with some other officers at a local restaurant in Foley, and these folks walked in with their family and noticed we were police officers," Bullock said.
"He immediately locked in on us. He pointed at us, and he began walking towards me.
He got right up in our space and sort of started being annoying and made motion like he was trying to eat off my plate.
Not that he was (actually eating off our plate), but he was imitating that he was.
According to Bullock, the couple took a seat behind the officers and got into a verbal confrontation with a waitress because the restaurant did not "de-vein the shrimp.
"He started getting loud and boisterous. She asked him to leave the restaurant, and he did without further incident," Bullock said.
"We noticed he had an Arizona tag and figured maybe he was just passing through."
bunch of crazy mofo's i tell ya.