An Arkansas police officer has been charged with second-degree battery in connection with a 2016 arrest.
Joshua Trivitt of the Cherokee Village Police Department surrendered to a special agent of the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division shortly after 11 a.m. Monday at the Sharp County sheriff's office, said Bill Sadler, a spokesman for the state police.
“Trivitt was taken to the local jail for processing and this afternoon was awaiting a bond hearing,” Sadler said.
Trivitt was charged in connection with the Nov. 12, 2016, arrest of Randell Lee Veazie.
Trivitt “body slammed” Veazie to the floor and exclaimed, “I body slammed the motherf*,” according to a police brutality lawsuit filed in Sharp County Circuit Court and later moved to federal court. A body-camera captured audio and video of part of the arrest.
Veazie suffered a broken nose and a broken and dislocated jawbone during the arrest, according to the lawsuit.
Also named as defendants were two Ash Flat police officers and a Sharp County deputy who were present during the arrest.
Sadler said the investigation into the arrest continues.
Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
