Arkansas Online

Fight with jailers leads to charges

An inmate at the Pulaski County jail faces felony battery charges after fighting with officers Tuesday night, according to an arrest report.

Deion Tidwell, 25, was able to briefly overpower a guard who was trying to deliver a meal, yelling that he was leaving and that he had been released on his own recognizance, the report states.

The guard, whose name was censored on the report, and Sgt. Jeremiah Buckner fought Tidwell, with the guard striking Tidwell in the face and Tidwell shoving the guard’s head against the ground several times.

Another officer, Sgt. Matthew Cobb, was able to get Tidwell off the other two officers, but he was still resisting, so the guard pepper sprayed him, according to the report.

Tidwell was finally restrained, but the guard hit Tidwell “out of nature reaction” when the inmate tried to spit in the guard’s face, the report states.

Shackled, Tidwell tried to break away and run several times, and while officers were adjusting his handcuffs, the report says the inmate started to fight again, resulting in Cobb pepper spraying him again.

After charges were filed, Tidwell began resisting again, causing Buckner to take him to the ground, the report says. Tidwell landed on the guard, and it was later determined that the impact tore the guard’s right medial meniscus, the report says.

Officers threatened to ‘dry stun’ Tidwell with their Tasers, at which point he stopped resisting, saying “Ight y’all proved y’all’s point. I will quit,” according to the report.

Finally, Tidwell tried to bribe the guard, Buckner and Cobb with $500 each to release him, the report states. Tidwell was stripped and searched before being returned to his cell.

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2021-10-21T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-21T07:00:00.0000000Z

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