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Police officer, who delayed Texans' Moats as relative died, placed on leave
Associated Press


DALLAS -- A police officer was placed on administrative leave Thursday after pulling over an NFL player who was rushing to see his dying mother-in-law, drawing his gun, threatening the player with jail and holding him in the hospital parking lot as the woman died.

Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle apologized to the family of Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats over the March 18 incident and announced that Officer Robert Powell would be on paid leave pending an internal investigation.

Ryan Moats, RB
Houston Texans

Age: 26
Height: 5-8
Weight: 210
College: Louisiana Tech
Experience: 5 seasons"When we at the command staff reviewed the tape, we were embarrassed, disappointed," Kunkle said. "It's hard to find the right word and still be professional in my role as the police chief. But the behavior was not appropriate."

Police officials said Powell told his commanders he believed he was doing his job and that he drew his gun but didn't point it. Kunkle said Powell wasn't necessarily acting improperly when he pulled out his weapon, but that once he realized what was happening, he should have put the gun back, apologized and offered to help the family in any way.

"His behavior, in my opinion, did not exhibit the common sense, the discretion, the compassion that we expect our officers to exhibit," Kunkle said.

Moats' wife, who was in the car along with other relatives, said Powell pointed his weapon at her.

"He was pointing a gun at me as soon as I got out of the car," Tamishia Moats told The Dallas Morning News.

The Moats family didn't immediately return messages left by The Associated Press. Powell didn't respond to requests for comment through the Dallas police union.

Powell, a three-year member of the Dallas police force, stopped Moats outside Baylor Regional Medical Center after Moats rolled his sport-utility vehicle through a red light. Video from a dashboard camera inside the officer's vehicle, obtained by Dallas-Fort Worth station WFAA-TV, revealed an intense exchange in which Powell threatened to jail Moats.

Powell ordered Tamishia Moats to get back in the SUV, but after pausing for a few seconds, she and another woman rushed into the hospital. Tamishia Moats was by the side of her mother, 45-year-old Jonetta Collinsworth, when she died a short time later from breast cancer.

"Get in there," said Powell, yelling at 27-year-old Tamishia Moats, as she exited the vehicle. "Let me see your hands!"

"Excuse me, my mom is dying," Tamishia Moats said. "Do you understand?"

Ryan Moats explained that he waited until there was no traffic before proceeding through the red light. When Powell asked for proof of insurance, Moats grew more agitated and told the officer to go find it.

"My mother-in-law is dying! Right now! You're wasting my time!" Moats yelled. "I don't understand why you can't understand that."

As he argued with Moats, the officer grew irritated. "Shut your mouth," said Powell, 25. "You can either settle down and cooperate or I can just take you to jail for running a red light."

By the time Moats, 26, received a ticket and a lecture from Powell, about 13 minutes had passed. When he and Collinsworth's father entered the hospital, they learned Collinsworth was dead.

Kunkle said the video showed that Moats and his wife "exercised extraordinary patience, restraint in dealing with the behavior of our officer."

"At no time did Mr. Moats identify himself as an NFL football player or expect any kind of special consideration," Kunkle said. "He handled himself very, very well."

The Moats family, who are black, said they can't help but think that race might have played a part in the white officer's behavior toward them.

"I think he should lose his job," Ryan Moats said.

When the exchange was at its most contentious, Powell said he could tow Moats' SUV if he didn't have insurance and could arrest him for fleeing because he didn't immediately stop when the officer turned on his sirens. The pursuit lasted a little more than a minute.

"I can screw you over," Powell said. "I'd rather not do that. Your attitude will dictate everything that happens."

The exchange soon ended, and Powell returned to his cruiser to write a ticket. A few minutes later, another officer approached Powell to tell him a nurse said the mother-in-law was dying right then and Moats needed to get into the hospital.

"All right. I'm almost done," Powell said in response.

The ticket issued to Moats was dismissed, Dallas Police spokesman Lt. Andy Harvey said.

Moats, a third-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005 out of Louisiana Tech, was cut by the team in August and later signed with the Texans. In three seasons as a backup in the NFL, he has rushed for 441 yards and scored four touchdowns.

Moats was a standout at Bishop Lynch High School, a private school in Dallas, rushing for more than 2,600 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

Moats accepted the officer's apology, but he and his wife looked unsatisfied with how the incident was handled.

...It's a common story. A lot of cops are great heroes. Some, unfortunately, are assholes.

All I know is that gun or no gun, if that were me and the officer kept me from spending my time with my mothers/ mother-in-law's last few moments on this plane of existence, then that guy is going to be getting his a** kicked. Flat out.

Well that officer did the right thing. To bad he didnt do that the last time he did that screw up

Yup. I think it was Zach Thomas's wife or her sister. She was speeding or something like that. If I remember, she got a little hot headed and he ended up throwing her in jail for the night and towing the car. He was disciplined for that also. The guy was a hot head and seemed to be a power drunk moron. I have personally dealt with a couple of them idiots and managed to make them all look really bad.