FOX News, Dallas/Fort Worth [myfoxdfw.com]
Chief 'Embarrassed' by Hospital Delay
Created On: Thursday, 26 Mar 2009, 2:46 PM CDT
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DPD Flooded with Calls about Hospital
Traffic Stop
Created On: Friday, 27 Mar 2009, 6:53 PM CDT
DALLAS - The fallout from the Dallas police officer who detained a man outside a hospital after stopping him for running a red light continues to grow. It has been like a tidal wave for the department, with calls coming in at a rate of about 100 per hour.

On Thursday, Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle apologized to the family of Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats over the March 18 incident in the Dallas suburb of Plano. He announced Officer Robert Powell would be on paid leave pending an internal investigation.

Kunkle said the officer pulled the NFL player over as he was rushing to see his dying mother-in-law. He threatened the player with jail, drew his gun and held him in the hospital parking lot as the woman died.

"When we at the command staff reviewed the tape, we were embarrassed, disappointed," Kunkle said. "It's hard to find the right word and still be professional in my role as the police chief. But the behavior was not appropriate."

People from across the country and even Canada have called the department to react to the incident. DPD officials said people are outraged at the traffic stop that stopped Moats from saying goodbye to his dying mother-in-law.

"We have tip lines for homicides; they are getting calls. We have fusion centers where people can call in tips; they are getting calls. E-mails are coming in to every fax machine and e-mail in this department," said DPD Sr. Cpl. Kevin Janse.

The department has taken the first time step of posting its apology to the Moats' on the front page of their Web site.

Police officials said Powell told his commanders he believed he was doing his job, and that he drew his gun but did not point it. Kunkle said Powell was not necessarily acting improperly when he pulled his weapon out, but that once he realized what was happening should have put the gun back, apologized and offered to help the family in any way.

"His behavior, in my opinion, did not exhibit the common sense, the discretion, the compassion that we expect our officers to exhibit," Kunkle said.

Moats' wife, who was in the car along with other relatives, said Powell pointed his weapon at her.

"He was pointing a gun at me as soon as I got out of the car," Tamishia Moats told The Dallas Morning News.

Ryan Moats told KRLD-FM in Dallas in a telephone interview Thursday that after the officer pointed the gun at his wife, he pointed it at him. "I just tried to stay as still as possible to not scare him or do anything to make him react."

He told earlier told the newspaper he thought Powell should be fired, but backed off that in his radio interview.

"All I know is what he did was wrong," Moats said. "He stole a moment away from me that I can never get back. I'm really not the judge on what should happen to him."

The Moats family did not immediately return messages left by The Associated Press. Powell did not respond to requests for comment through the Dallas police union.

Powell, a three-year member of the force, stopped Moats' SUV outside Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano after Moats rolled through a red light. Video from a dashboard camera inside the officer's vehicle, obtained by Dallas-Fort Worth station WFAA-TV, revealed an intense exchange in which the officer threatened to jail Moats.

He ordered Tamishia Moats to get back in the SUV, but after pausing for a few seconds, she and another woman rushed into the hospital. She was by the side of her mother, 45-year-old Jonetta Collinsworth, when she died a short time later from breast cancer.

"Get in there," said Powell, yelling at 27-year-old Tamishia Moats, as she exited the vehicle. "Let me see your hands!"

"Excuse me, my mom is dying," Tamishia Moats said. "Do you understand?"

Ryan Moats explained that he waited until there was no traffic before continuing through the red light. When Powell asked for proof of insurance, Moats grew more agitated and told the officer to go find it.

"My mother-in-law is dying! Right now! You're wasting my time!" Moats yelled. "I don't understand why you can't understand that."

As they argued, the officer got irritated. "Shut your mouth," the officer, 25, said. "You can either settle down and cooperate or I can just take you to jail for running a red light."

By the time the 26-year-old NFL player received a ticket and a lecture from Powell, about 13 minutes had passed. When he and Collinsworth's father entered the hospital, they learned Collinsworth was dead.

Earl Jackson, Collinsworth's father, said he knew that what Powell was doing was wrong. "This guy, he wouldn't listen to nobody," Jackson said in an interview with Dallas-Fort Worth television station KDFW.

Moats said he wouldn't have had a problem with the officer giving given him a ticket after letting him go into the hospital.

"I don't know what he was thinking," Moats told KRLD-FM. "Basically, I was just shocked. I was very shocked that he wasn't budging on it. I even said I can't believe that this was happening."

Kunkle said the video showed that Moats and is wife "exercised extraordinary patience, restraint in dealing with the behavior of our officer."

"At no time did Mr. Moats identify himself as an NFL football player or expect any kind of special consideration," Kunkle said. "He handled himself very, very well."

The Moats family, who are black, said they can't help but think that race might have played a part in the white officer's behavior.

When the exchange was at its most contentious, Powell said he could tow Moats' SUV if he didn't have insurance and that he could arrest him for fleeing because he didn't immediately stop when Powell turned on his sirens. The pursuit began in Dallas and lasted a little more than a minute.

"I can screw you over," Powell said. "I'd rather not do that. Your attitude will dictate everything that happens."

The exchange soon ended and Powell returned to his cruiser to write a ticket. A few minutes later, another officer approached Powell to tell him a nurse said the mother-in-law was dying right then and Moats needed to get into the hospital.

"All right. I'm almost done," Powell said in response.

Texans spokesman Kevin Cooper said the team had no comment.

The ticket issued to Moats was dismissed, Dallas Police spokesman Lt. Andy Harvey said.

Moats, a third-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005 out of Louisiana Tech, was cut by the Eagles in August and later signed with the Texans. In three seasons as a backup, he's rushed for 441 yards and scored four touchdowns.

He was a standout at Bishop Lynch High School, a private school in Dallas, rushing for more than 2,600 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior.

On Friday, Powell released a statement through his attorneys.

"I wish to publicly and sincerely apologize to the Moats family, my colleagues in the Dallas Police Department, and to all those who have been rightfully angered by my actions on March 18, 2009. After stopping Mr. Moats' vehicle, I showed poor judgment and insensitivity to Mr. Moats and his family by my words and actions," Powell's statement reads.

Powell also said he's attempted to reach Moats.

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USA TODAY [usatoday.com]
Updated 1d 13h ago
Police 'embarrassed' after NFL player detained as relative dies
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Moats is a formal Eagle.  I saw the video's and its a friggin disgrace.  I am a supporter of cops who keep us safe and put their life on the line.  This guy, however is a pieces of shit.  If it were me in Moats' shoes, I would probably be in jail.

Just anothe rreason to hate Dallas....hahahahaha