Arrest of 85-year-old man outside Glendale High draws ire of students
A video posted on YouTube of a Glendale police officer arresting an 85-year-old man on Tuesday outside Glendale High School shows a group students claiming excessive use of force as it happened.
The video shows the man, Blas Acevedo, resisting arrest after a police officer stopped him on suspicion of jaywalking. Police also allege he pushed the officer who attempted to make the arrest.
In an interview, Acevedo acknowledged he was jaywalking, but said he didn’t want to be in handcuffs. He called the officer “a very abusive man,” adding that he was sore and bruised from the encounter.
Police plan to investigate the incident because a use-of-force tactic was used, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said
Acevedo was stopped at about 3:13 p.m. after he jaywalked on Verdugo Road near Harvard Street, according to Glendale police reports.
He was asked repeatedly to sit on a raised planter while the officer retrieved his citation book from his patrol car, prompting Acevedo to unleash a barrage of profanity, according to police.
In the video, Acevedo is seated in a raised planter and says “Hey, you are abusing me,” to which the officer, who was standing a foot away, quickly questioned the statement.
When the officer tells Acevedo to turn around and place his hands behind his back, he is held down in the planter and told several times to turn around, to which Acevedo replies “No” and screams.
The officer then moves away from Acevedo, who slowly moves into a seated position.
According to police, Acevedo tensed up and didn’t allow the officer to place handcuffs on him and refused orders to place his hands behind his back.
Meanwhile, students can be heard in the video accusing the officer of abuse.
Acevedo was taken to Glendale Adventist Medical Center after complaining of chest pains, Lorenz said.
He refused to file or sign a complaint against the officer, police said.
VIDEO: Glendale police harassing 85-year-old man
-- Veronica Rocha, Times Community News
Follow Veronica Rocha on Google+ and Twitter: @VeronicaRochaLA