(Memphis) Police say a man kicked an officer in the head and tried to get others to join in when officers broke up a house party over the weekend. It happened on the corner of McQueen and Sutherland.
Brandon Matthews is facing multiple charges, including inciting a riot.
“I tried to fight back, as a natural instinct,” said Matthews.
Matthews told us on the phone, “I was never my intention to want to fight a police officer.”
Police say it happened in an east Memphis neighborhood, where a huge party of about 500 people had neighbors upset.
“And there was so many people there, someone was trying to get through the street and couldn`t because there were so many cars,” said Balmoral Subdivision resident Becky Horn.
Someone called police.
When officers got there, they say Matthews greeted them by saying this: “Did they send one officer to make all these people leave? It’s going to take more than just you to make me leave.”
Police say Matthews then faced the party goers and said, “Come on everybody let’s get this mother*&%^&.”
That’s when police tried to arrest him, but authorities say Matthews pushed one of the officers and kicked the other one in the head.
“They pepper-sprayed me and threw me in the back of the police car,” said Mathews.
“Did you try and encourage the party-goers to attack the police?” asked reporter Sabrina Hall.
“Not at all,” said Matthews.
Matthews admits he was drunk and recalls being thrown to the ground.
“In the midst of it, I might have kicked the officer in the head, but it wasn`t intentional,” he said.
He said he only remembers being upset the party was over and asking police why it had to end.
“Do you think it’s possible that you did say some of those things when you were drunk?” asked Hall.
“Maybe, but I seriously doubt that,” said Matthews. “I`m never one to fight.”
Matthews says this is the first time he’s even been to jail or charged with a crime. He bonded out Sunday.