Internal Investigation After 2 Cops Kick & Punch Chase Suspect
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ELLICOTT CITY, Md. Nov 21 2008 A police chase has turned into an internal investigation involving several Howard County police officers.
Those officers were caught on tape beating a suspect during an arrest.
A driver dragged out of his pick-up truck, pushed to the ground and beaten by at least two Howard County police officers is caught on tape.
That is what happened to Stephen Zombro, 40.
"I don't think it is ever appropriate to pull someone out of their car and beat them," said one woman.
"There are certain actions that are captured in that video during the arrest that cause me concern, to make me want to make sure that what I saw in the video is consistent with how we train our officers.
The policy that guides our officers is frankly what we expect from our officers," said Chief William McMahon, Howard County Police.
The beating was the finale to a chase led by Zombro that started at the intersection of Dorsey Run Road and Patuxent Range Run in Jessup.
He was wanted on theft charges. But instead of stopping he zigzagged through highway traffic. He was going at speeds between 40 and 50 miles per hour.
Officers were able to deflate the truck's tires by putting down stop sticks before crashing into him.
"There were a lot of vehicles in the vicinity. A lot of other people could have been hurt. I think the chase should have been called off," said one man.
"He was putting citizens at risk. He was putting officers at risk. So it is important for us to get him apprehended," said McMahon.
Now, a lot of Howard County residents are demanding the answers to pretty simple questions.
They want to know why it happened and why the excessive force.
One officer has been placed on administrative duty and no one involved has been suspended.
Detectives from the Internal Affairs Division are investigating the beating.
Zombro appeared in court Friday morning, was charged and is now being held at the Howard County Detention Center.
He will have a bail review Monday.
11-30-2008, 02:26 PM
