Christina Vazquez
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -
Have you seen it?
The YouTube video of a Fort
Lauderdale police officer tackling a bicyclist during a critical mass event has
gone viral.
Police said Dan Littell was
violating traffic laws, refusing to pull over and blocking a patrol car with
his bicycle before saluting officers with his middle finger. He's now facing
several charges to include resisting without violence.
The accountant from Fort
Lauderdale claims he was trying to slow down the rate of speed of passing
officers and said the arresting officer used excessive force.
Here's what the person who
posted the video on YouTube had to say about the incident:
"I was the individual who
taped this incident. It is unfortunate that this cop brought him down the way
he did, but Dan Littell (biker that gets tackled) did not obey police
instructions to stop and pull over for about a mile. He kept riding and eluding
the police. Although the way that the cop brought Mr. Littell down seems
totally unnecessary, he brought that upon himself. We kept screaming at Mr.
Littell "Just stop and pull over!!!" But he was in such an adrenaline
rush that for some reason believed he could outrun the boys in blue. Walking,
biking or driving, if a cop says pull over you pull over … or else!!!! Good
Luck Dan."
Police also claim Littell was
taunting officers while placing other bicyclists in harm's way.
"At times the defendant
would motion as if he was going to move out of the way and would then swerve
back in the lane in an attempt to get me to strike with my patrol
vehicle," the arrest report said. "The defendant then said 'go ahead
and hit me.'"
Littell told Local 10 he is
seeking legal consultation before filing a formal complaint with the police
department.