Deputies, teens brawl at Valentine’s dance
Alcohol factor in ’near riot’; six students arrested
February 15, 2005
Amber
[email protected]
Punches were thrown, arrests were made, and sheriff's deputies used a police dog to subdue one teenager during an alcohol-fueled brawl that erupted between high school students and law enforcement officers at a Valentine's Day dance over the weekend.
The Escambia County Sheriff's Office is continuing its investigation of the fight, which broke out among students from several area high schools during an annual dance at the Hadji Shrine Temple of Pensacola.
Four students among the approximately 200 at the dance were arrested, and two more were charged Monday. Three students were sent home drunk.
Las Javanas, an exclusive girls' social club, sponsored the dance. The club's members are drawn, by invitation, from high schools in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
The State Attorney's Office is continuing to review the night's events, which Deputy Ray Briggs referred to as a "near riot."
"It could have become a real nightmare scenario if deputies hadn't shown the restraint they did,'' said Briggs, a chaperone to the dance that his daughter attended.
Wildly different versions of the Friday night events have been offered by law enforcement and an attorney representing at least two of the students involved.
Terry Gross, a local attorney whose son was charged with disturbing the peace, said deputies used excessive force against students, including several students who were trying to clear up a misunderstanding.
"They were out of control," Gross said of officers who were involved in the brawl. "I've spoken to at least 20 kids about what happened, and it's shocking."
One boy, Gross said, suffered 47 puncture wounds after deputies unleashed a police dog on him. Gross said the same boy was struck by a deputy with a large flashlight, while another had his head slammed into the side of a patrol car.
"These are all good kids, straight-A kids,'' Gross said. "Many of them have never been in trouble before.''
Deputy jumped
Sheriff's Office reports, however, paint a different picture of the evening's events-- one of deputies being attacked by a large group of drunken, violent teenage boys.
The fight erupted after 11 p.m., when deputies providing security for the dance were notified of a fight on the dance floor.
Steven Helmkamp, an 18-year-old Gulf Breeze High School student, had been punched in the nose and was bleeding heavily from his nose and mouth.
Deputy Jeremy Jarman rushed into the crowd.
In his report, Jarman said he saw 17-year-old Travis Roth, a Gulf Breeze High School student, reach back his fist "as if he was attempting to strike another individual."
Jarman reported that he grabbed Roth and ordered him to back up, at which time the boy allegedly struck the deputy in the face. Jarman said Roth attempted to strike him a second time, but he knocked the boy to the ground and attempted to handcuff him.
"Several male juveniles jumped on my back and on top of me and began to strike me with their fists and feet," Jarman wrote in his report. "Subsequently, I had to start pushing subjects off of me, and for the more aggressive subjects that were striking me, I had to strike them in order to get them to retreat."
Several event chaperones, including Briggs, rushed in to help Jarman.
Briggs wrote in his report that furniture had been overturned, and a number of teenagers were "pushing, pulling and yelling at" Jarman, arguing that he had taken the wrong person into custody.
Difficult arrest
Eventually, Jarman subdued Roth and escorted him out the door, at which point Jarman wrote that he was again attacked. Jarman reported that 17-year-old Addison Salter, a Gulf Breeze student, assaulted him from behind, wrapping his arm around Jarman's neck in an attempt to free Roth.
While Jarman struggled to keep Roth, who he reported was attempting to pull away, under control, Salter allegedly struck him in the back of the head. Salter allegedly fled on foot.
Meanwhile, Jarman reported that he attempted to place Roth across the hood of another deputy's vehicle. While he was doing so, "Roth began to pull even harder" and struck his head against the vehicle, causing a large dent, Jarman wrote.
According to reports, Salter returned to the scene and began shouting and swearing at Jarman, moving toward him "in an aggressive manner" with his fists clenched.
Deputy Timothy Taylor wrote that he put his hand out to stop Salter, but the boy slapped Taylor's hand down.
Taylor said he attempted to place Salter under arrest, but Salter tried to flee.
"He continued to slap, punch and push me away," Taylor wrote. "During this time he was punching and pushing me in the chest. At one point, he hit me on the right side of the face."
Police dog used
Unable to get Salter into his cruiser, Taylor reported that he activated his remote door opener and freed his police dog Awny.
Taylor wrote that he ordered Salter to get down on the ground, but he refused. At that time, he ordered Awny to "seize Salter."
According to Taylor's report, the dog bit Salter on the left buttock, preventing him from running farther. Taylor wrote that he attempted to place Salter under arrest, but the boy continued to fight, prompting the dog to grab Salter again on his right arm.
Taylor eventually was able to handcuff Salter, who suffered dog bite punctures to his buttock and arm.
Both Salter and Roth were charged with resisting arrest with violence and assault on a law enforcement officer.
While the fight escalated outside, Gross' 17-year-old son, Marcus, was taken into custody inside the building.
According to reports, event chaperones were asked to hold students inside the dance until things were under control outside.
Deputy Donald Brunson was attempting to help Jarman and Taylor when he heard shouting from inside the building.
Brunson wrote that Marcus Gross was "attempting to push the front doors open" and "jumping around and bumping into other people while yelling."
However, Gross' father, Terry, said deputies embellished their stories. He has been collecting statements from students who witnessed the altercation.
Marcus Gross turned 18 on Saturday while confined in the patrol car.
"It's the word of a bunch of kids against the word of law enforcement officers,'' Terry Gross said. "They feel totally disillusioned about police after this. All they were trying to do was explain what had happened and tell them they had the wrong person.''
Investigation continues
Briggs said the Sheriff's Office is continuing its investigation.
On Monday, two 18-year-old Catholic High School students, Joseph Nunnari and Robert Bonifay, were served with criminal summonses charging them with battery.
According to reports, they participated in the fight with Helmkamp that sparked the chaos on the dance floor.
Briggs said he could not say for sure how many of the youngsters were drinking alcohol at the event. A 17-year-old Catholic High School student was arrested early in the night on a charge of disorderly intoxication, and three other students were sent home with their parents for showing up drunk.
"I didn't see any kids openly drinking at the dance, and it's something I did look for,'' Briggs said.
"What's scary is that this could have been a lot worse," he added. "These teenagers were swinging at a sheriff's deputy, jumping on him and attacking him. At no point did he do anything other than try to defend himself."
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©The Pensacola News Journal
February 15, 2005