**In a previous version of this story, it was stated the Mississippi County Chapter of the NAACP was planning to protest how officers handled the arrest. That information was not correct. We have since been told the Mississippi County Chapter of the NAACP supports the actions of the officers. Tony Hollis told WREG he was the president of the Mississippi County Chapter of the NAACP. The chapter says Hollis is the former president and has been directed by the national NAACP to cease and desist representing himself as being involved with the organization. The Arkansas state NAACP chairman says the organization will take further action against Hollis. We regret the error.
BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. — Video showed officers with the Blytheville Police Department arrest a man on Easter Sunday.
“I see another Mike Brown and Trayvon Martin situation if you ask me,” Patrick Newbern Jr. said.
Newbern said he was unjustly targeted in the parking lot of Lucky’s Store on South Division Street as police responded to complaints of loud music.
WREG obtained what appeared to be police body camera footage of the incident.
The footage showed an officer ask Newbern for his license and for him not to go anywhere while he wrote a citation.
Newbern began driving off but stopped before getting out of the parking lot.
Police said Newbern refused to get out of the car when they told him to, but he said he never had a chance to get out of his seat belt before officers started yanking him out.
“When you ask me to get out the car, you open up the door snatching me out the car without letting me get out my seat belt,” Newbern said. “How can I get out the car in my seat belt?”
A police report revealed Newbern was tased twice and sprayed with a chemical agent after he allegedly resisted arrest, grabbed for the officer’s weapons and tried hitting one of them.
Blytheville Police would not comment on the incident Saturday and told WREG to return Monday.
Newbern was charged with violation of the city noise ordinance, fleeing by vehicle and resisting arrest.
