1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: Crime Alard hourly update Breaking crime News Now, I'm Nicole Parton. 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:08,040 Speaker 1: A man from North Carolina who was unable to communicate 3 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 1: due to a medical crisis allegedly faced violenced instead of 4 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: assistance from police officers who responded to the scene, as 5 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: detailed in a recent lawsuit, Dylan Ledford has filed a 6 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,760 Speaker 1: suit against the town of Spruce Pine, its police chief, 7 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:28,639 Speaker 1: Casey Cook, and three police officers, Michael Holyfield, Michael Sele, 8 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: and Dalton Mace, claiming they violated his constitutional rights and 9 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: breached both federal and state statutes during an incident that 10 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: occurred in February twenty twenty four. On February sixteen, Ludford, 11 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: then in his mid thirties, was driving home after visiting 12 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: his girlfriend. He stopped at Walmart in Spruce Pine to 13 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 1: grab a bite to eat, experiencing a drop in his 14 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 1: blood sugar due to his long standing illness of being 15 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: a diabetic. According to the lawsuit, After entering the store 16 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: and leaving shortly after, Ledford returned to his car after 17 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 1: he began to feel sick. Concerned Walmart employees noticed him 18 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: exhibiting unusual behavior such as twitching, having white eyes, and 19 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: attempting to communicate with him before ultimately calling nine to 20 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: one one for help. Officers Sail and Mace arrived shortly 21 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: after nine pm, with Holyfield coming shortly after. They attempted 22 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: to engage with mister Ludford, who was nonverbal. As outlined 23 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 1: in the fifty eight page lawsuit, The document asserts that 24 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: the officers had the capability to provide medical aid, but 25 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: chose not to, nor did they seek medical assistance on 26 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: Ledford's behalf. The situation escalated when the officers informed Ledford 27 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: of his impending arrest. The lawsuit describes a three on 28 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: one assault where the officers forcibly removed Ledford from his 29 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: car and threw him to the ground, despite the claim 30 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: that no officer was in danger. Ladford alleges that the 31 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: officers employed excessive force, violating the Fourth Amendment's protection against 32 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: unreasonable search and seizure. He claims that while he was 33 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: on the ground and unable to comply, officers self struck 34 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: him at least eleven times, causing significant pain in bruising. Additionally, 35 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 1: officer Holyfield reportedly used a taser on Ladford twice before 36 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 1: the officers flipped him onto his stomach. And handcuffed him. 37 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: The lawsuit emphasizes that it is a well established principle 38 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 1: that police do not physically assault individuals in medical distress. 39 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 1: The incident was reportedly recorded on Walmart's surveillance cameras, and 40 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 1: although the officers searched Ledford's vehicle and found nothing incriminating, 41 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: he was not taken to the hospital for medical care, 42 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 1: but instead to the police station. Ledford was charged with 43 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: second degree trespassing and three counts of resisting arrests, which 44 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: he claimed hampered his employment opportunities and triggered an internal 45 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: affairs investigation due to his prior role as a canine 46 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: officer with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correctctions. Although 47 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 1: the charges were dismissed about eight months later, Ludford is 48 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: now pursuing a jury trial and seeking damages for his physical, mental, 49 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 1: and emotional suffering, as well as harm to his reputation. 50 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: He is also holding the officer's supervisors accountable, arguing that 51 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: inadequate and outdated policies and training contributed to the incident. 52 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: The lawsuit states that neither the police chief nor the 53 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: town's administrators investigated the officer's conduct, indicating that they had 54 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 1: done so, they would have recognized the excessive and unjustified 55 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: use of force. Mitchell County District Attorney Seth Banks noted 56 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: concerns regarding the officer's failure to provide medical assistance, but 57 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring charges against them. 58 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: In response to inquiries about the lawsuit, the town attorney 59 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: indicated they would review the complaint upon receiving and respond accordingly. 60 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: Spruce Pine is located about ninety five miles northwest of Charlotte. 61 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: Justice News after this. Shaquille O'Neill, a longtime business savvy athlete, 62 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: has multiple business multiple companies but O'Neill has opened restaurants, 63 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: supported businesses, and more. But a rare misstep is going 64 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 1: to cost him about two million dollars. The four time 65 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: NBA champion has agreed out of court to pay one 66 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 1: point eight million dollars to settle acclaim in a suit 67 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: regarding the collapse of Crypto Exchange ft X. O'Neil was 68 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: initially served as part of the class action lawsuit back 69 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty three after repeated attempts to do so 70 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 1: outside the TNT offices in Atlanta where he works. Other 71 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: notable athletes named in the lawsuit, where Tom Brady, Stephen Curry, 72 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 1: David Ortes, all of whom could still be responsible for 73 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 1: billions of dollars in damages. O'Neill and his legal team 74 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: agreed to the settlement in April, but the terms, including 75 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 1: the payment were finalized through court documents this week. The 76 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 1: payment will be split among more than a million people 77 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 1: in the class action lawsuit, and after lawyer's fees are 78 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: taken out, it could result in as little as two 79 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 1: dollars per person. Police in South Carolina are continuing their 80 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: search for a missing woman who wandered off into the 81 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:19,920 Speaker 1: woods after a car crash. Multiple law enforcement agencies began 82 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: looking for Susan Rhodes on Wednesday afternoon. According to the 83 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: North Augusta Department of Public Safety, the search started around 84 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: four point thirty on Wednesday and ended around nine point fifteen. 85 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 1: Throughout the night, officers are monitoring her phone to see 86 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: if there were any pinks. On Thursday, the search continued 87 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: around the seven am. As of eight am today, law 88 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 1: enforcement says they have had contact with her son and sister. 89 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 1: The family members have not heard from miss Rhodes. We're 90 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: not giving up, said Clay Swan with the North Augusta 91 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 1: Police Department. Rhodes was last seen wearing a red shirt 92 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: and black shoes, a hat, and has an arm in 93 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: a sling. She is described as five. The department says 94 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: it responded to a crash on Gregory Lake Road at 95 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: the entrance to Gregory Landing Subdivision. One of the cars 96 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: involved in the crash left the roadway and went into 97 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: a ditch, according to officers. The department says the car 98 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: was being driven by Rhodes, who got out of the 99 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: car and wandered into the woods. A witness told officers 100 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:23,839 Speaker 1: that Roads appeared to be disoriented and possibly suffering from 101 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 1: some sort of medical issue. Officials say their main concern 102 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 1: is a nearby creek which has risen to about waste 103 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:34,360 Speaker 1: deep water due to a recent rainfall. Anyone who may 104 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 1: see miss Roads is asked to contact eight zero three 105 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: four one four to two zero zero. She was last 106 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: seen in the twenty two hundred block of Gregory Lake Road. 107 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 1: For the latest crime injustice news, follow Crime Alert hourly 108 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: update on your favorite podcasting app with this crime Alert. 109 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 1: I'm Nicole Carton.