CINCINNATI -- The investigation into the arrest and tasing of the daughter of Cincinnati City Councilman Cecil Thomas continues.
The incident arose after a traffic stop involving Celeste Thomas and the man driving her car in Clifton Heights early Sunday morning.
Cincinnati police officers witnessed 33-year-old Demitri Washington strike the back of a city garbage truck at 73 W. McMillan. Police initiated a traffic stop after they say Washington left the scene and determined that he did not have a valid driver's license and was wanted on a felony burglary warrant.
Police said Washington was drunk and resisted arrest. The police report said that Thomas got out of the car and approached police. A source tells 9News that Thomas wanted to know what was going on and indicated that she was councilman Thomas' daughter.
Police ordered her back into the car but the report says she did not comply. A source tells 9News that she was ordered face down but did not comply and instead dropped to her knees with her hands in the air. At that point officer Plummer stepped behind her and fired the Taser at her back.
In addition to Washington, Thomas was also arrested and charged with obstructing police at the scene and for possession of an open container. An empty wine bottle was found under the driver's seat.
Her arrest report indicates that Thomas had marks on her upper back from the Taser's barbs.
"It is my understanding that she was on her knees when she was Tased in the back," said Cecil Thomas.
Official comment from the Cincinnati Police Department was not immediately forthcoming. Councilman Thomas, however, said that in a phone call with a senior officer early Sunday morning he was told that police would be reviewing the incident.
Cincinnati police say the preliminary investigation states Officer Anthony Plummer's actions were not in compliance with Cincinnati Police Departments policies and procedures. Also, the tasing investigation has been recommended to be conducted by the internal investigation section.
Plummer was investigated by the Cincinnati’s Citizen Complaint Authority in a 2006 complaint stemming from another Tasing incident in which use of excessive force was alleged. In that incident, Plummer was found to have used excessive force.
Additionally, sources tell 9News that Plummer was terminated for issues related to excessive force but reinstated last year after arbitration.
When asked about the investigation Fraternal Order of Police President Kathy Harrell said she was aware of the incident but had no comment until she had a chance to learn more about what happened.
Thomas was processed at the Hamilton County Justice Center and then released. Washington remains jailed on a $53,000 bond.
