Former D-1 basketball punched in the face, pulled by his dreadlocks through car window after Arkansas State Trooper pursues vehicle he was a passenger in

The arrest was captured on a dash camera and is the second notable violent incident involving state troopers this month.

An August 19 traffic stop turned violent for a former Division-1 basketball player in Blytheville, Arkansas.

Tedrick Washington Jr. , a Blytheville native, says he was cooperating with police when they pulled over an SUV he was a passenger in for allegedly driving 119 miles per hour. After officers used a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle, Washington briefly had his hands up in the backseat before the officer closest to him used his baton to break the window.

Washington extends his arm out of the car and is pulled from it by his hair. The officer then punches Washington in the face before he pulls him out of view.

The driver, Adonerus Johnson, was arrested and charged with felony fleeing, resisting arrest, first offense DWI, reckless driving and other charges. Washington was charged with resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental operations.

The officer involved in the incident, Theodore Henderson, confirmed in his report that he struck Washington a second time and had previously ordered him to crawl through the opening where he broke the window. He later claimed Washington “postured up” as if he were preparing to swing, prompting him to punch Washington in the face.

Washington is reportedly preparing to take legal action. The full video of the incident is available below.

The incident involving Washington is the latest involving an Arkansas State Police trooper using excessive force. On August 1, trooper Moisses Arellano was on camera punching 18-year-old Alisa Hackett in the face after pulling her over for a traffic violation. The video garnered national attention and calls for accountability by Black lawmakers in the area.

“Any young man who has played for me knows if you strike a female, you will be suspended that week, and you have to deal with the consequences,” Rep. Jesse McGruder, a former law enforcement officer, said during a gathering of the state’s Legislative Black Caucus. Hackett has since filed a federal lawsuit against Arellano.

The Arkansas State Police director, Col. Mike Hagar, did not meet with Black lawmakers during his scheduled appearance earlier this week, citing the ongoing lawsuit.

“I offered to meet privately with the Caucus to have an open and candid conversation about any public safety concerns they would like to discuss,” Hagar said in a statement shared on Monday. “That offer stands, and I’d be very happy to talk individually with any legislator. Unfortunately, because of pending litigation, it would be irresponsible and impossible for me to have an open discussion in a public setting.”