A misdemeanor traffic stop at a gas station on Mississippi Highway 51 in Winona turned into an arrest on two charges.
Winona police officer Denzil Bigbee stopped Demond Robinson, 48, of Oxford, on Saturday for failure to signal on southbound Applegate Street, according to Winona Police Chief Roshaun Daniels.
“He conducted a traffic stop right there at the Chevron parking lot,” said Daniels. “While the officer was running the tag through dispatch, the driver exited the vehicle and stepped toward the officer’s vehicle.”
Daniels said Bigbee told Robinson several times to return to his vehicle, but Robinson refused.
“That’s when Officer Bigbee advised dispatch that the driver had exited the vehicle and refused to get back in,” said Daniels.
He said Bigbee then approached Robinson and told him if he did not return to his vehicle, he would arrest him for disorderly conduct.
“Mr. Robinson stated to Officer Bigbee that he would just have to go to jail. Officer Bigbee advised Mr. Robinson that he was under arrest. Put his hands behind his back,” said Daniels. “The officer was able to get Mr. Robinson’s right arm behind his back, but Mr. Robinson began to resist by not placing his other arm behind his back. The officer continued to try to get both arms in handcuffs, and that’s when he radioed for other units to come.”
When Officer James Burnett arrived on scene, he and Bigbee were able to get Robinson to the ground but still were not able to get the second handcuff on Robinson, Daniels said.
“Mr. Robinson was still not compliant with commands from officers to place his hands behind his back. That’s when Officer Burnett deployed his Taser to attempt to take Mr. Robinson into custody. After the Taser deployment, they were able to get both hands in handcuffs. Mr. Robinson was still being irate and yelling profane language,” said Daniels. “While tussling with Mr. Robinson, they could smell alcoholic beverage coming from his breath to determine he was intoxicated. They located a white foam cup on the passenger floorboard with what appeared to be an alcoholic beverage inside the cup.”
Daniels said Robinson refused to take the breath test, and police charged him with driving under the influence and resisting arrest at 8:45 that evening.
Police took Robinson to the Carroll Montgomery Regional Correctional Facility.
