Breakdown of Dash Cam Video During Michael Dyer's Traffic Stop
By: Lauren Trager, KARK 4 News
Updated: July 30, 2012
A
state trooper is under investigation after a rising star in the
Arkansas State football program is dismissed from the team.
We obtained dash cam video of a traffic stop and transcribed the audio to the very best of our ability.
In his video, you can see Trooper Royce Denney initiate a traffic stop on I-67 March 10th after a car whizzes past him.
Off-camera, Trooper Denney actually indicated to two cars to pull over: one in front and one in back.
With a K-9 in tow, Trooper Denney, it seems, almost immediately suspects the driver in the back of having marijuana in the car.
"If y'all got some weed in here, it's better to just give it up," Trooper Denney says on the tape.
It's unclear when Trooper Denney determines that the driver is Michael Dyer.
Dyer and an unidentified woman wait near the hood of the trooper's cruiser as Trooper Denney searches the car in front.
The driver of that car is later identified as Ronnie Wright. It seems he and Dyer know each other.
Trooper Denney appears to find something in the backseat of the car and sprinkles it on the ground.
"You know what that was right?" the Trooper says. Then: "[Indecipherable] with weed in it? Just to let you know, see what I am doing with it."
Later, Trooper Denney is back at Dyer's car. Off camera, the K-9 comes into action.
We don't see what is found.
But Trooper Denney says this to Dyer and the woman:
"Carrying weed around, carrying a pistol around. Ain't cool."
"You got a career ahead of you, you are being a total dumb ass right now," said Trooper Denney.
Trooper Denney asks Dyer if he should just call Dyer's coach Gus Malzahn, saying perhaps, Malzhan could instead punish the player.
It seems the trooper isn't too familiar with the program. He asks Dyer's female friend to spell the coach's last name.
Dyer says little. Most of his answers are hard to make out on the recording.
"You need to think man, what's the best way to make you think? You are a grown man and I am not trying to treat you like a kid," said Trooper Denney.
"It's, it's...I'm done with this. This is my second chance or whatever," Dyer said.
There then appears to be an exchange about either the weed or gun.
Trooper Denney: Want me to hold that for you?
Dyer: Yes, sir.
Trooper Denney: I ain't saying keep it. Me and you can get together some other time and you can have it back."
Shortly after, the camera goes black: it's unknown if the trooper turned it off.
Once it's back, the audio's silent for nearly three minutes before you can hear the trooper chide Dyer one more time.
Trooper: "It pisses me off that someone of your stature, of your ability does this such stupid ****. Does that make sense to you."
Dyer: "Yes, sir."
Then the trooper tells them there will be no charges other than a speeding citation.
"You get one ticket Mike, 96 in a 70," said Trooper Denney.
The same goes for the man in the other car and both soon are on their way back down the road.
We don't know if this is the reason Dyer was let go from the team.
Dyer paid $175 for the ticket and did five hours community service.
Trooper Denney is now under internal investigation. The state police is not commenting until it's done.
The Trooper is not currently allowed to patrol.
We obtained dash cam video of a traffic stop and transcribed the audio to the very best of our ability.
In his video, you can see Trooper Royce Denney initiate a traffic stop on I-67 March 10th after a car whizzes past him.
Off-camera, Trooper Denney actually indicated to two cars to pull over: one in front and one in back.
With a K-9 in tow, Trooper Denney, it seems, almost immediately suspects the driver in the back of having marijuana in the car.
"If y'all got some weed in here, it's better to just give it up," Trooper Denney says on the tape.
It's unclear when Trooper Denney determines that the driver is Michael Dyer.
Dyer and an unidentified woman wait near the hood of the trooper's cruiser as Trooper Denney searches the car in front.
The driver of that car is later identified as Ronnie Wright. It seems he and Dyer know each other.
Trooper Denney appears to find something in the backseat of the car and sprinkles it on the ground.
"You know what that was right?" the Trooper says. Then: "[Indecipherable] with weed in it? Just to let you know, see what I am doing with it."
Later, Trooper Denney is back at Dyer's car. Off camera, the K-9 comes into action.
We don't see what is found.
But Trooper Denney says this to Dyer and the woman:
"Carrying weed around, carrying a pistol around. Ain't cool."
"You got a career ahead of you, you are being a total dumb ass right now," said Trooper Denney.
Trooper Denney asks Dyer if he should just call Dyer's coach Gus Malzahn, saying perhaps, Malzhan could instead punish the player.
It seems the trooper isn't too familiar with the program. He asks Dyer's female friend to spell the coach's last name.
Dyer says little. Most of his answers are hard to make out on the recording.
"You need to think man, what's the best way to make you think? You are a grown man and I am not trying to treat you like a kid," said Trooper Denney.
"It's, it's...I'm done with this. This is my second chance or whatever," Dyer said.
There then appears to be an exchange about either the weed or gun.
Trooper Denney: Want me to hold that for you?
Dyer: Yes, sir.
Trooper Denney: I ain't saying keep it. Me and you can get together some other time and you can have it back."
Shortly after, the camera goes black: it's unknown if the trooper turned it off.
Once it's back, the audio's silent for nearly three minutes before you can hear the trooper chide Dyer one more time.
Trooper: "It pisses me off that someone of your stature, of your ability does this such stupid ****. Does that make sense to you."
Dyer: "Yes, sir."
Then the trooper tells them there will be no charges other than a speeding citation.
"You get one ticket Mike, 96 in a 70," said Trooper Denney.
The same goes for the man in the other car and both soon are on their way back down the road.
We don't know if this is the reason Dyer was let go from the team.
Dyer paid $175 for the ticket and did five hours community service.
Trooper Denney is now under internal investigation. The state police is not commenting until it's done.
The Trooper is not currently allowed to patrol.
