Off-duty police officer caught on video slamming teenager to ground at Jacksonville Beach skate park
Two rip current statements are currently in effect for Duval, Coastal, Inland and Nassau, Coastal, Inland regions. This news comes as new information and witness accounts shed light on an off-duty Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officer’s actions at Sunshine Skate Park over the weekend. A newly released video captured the officer grabbing a teenager riding an e-bike and forcefully slamming him to the ground.
The off-duty officer, identified as Stephen Hicks, 34, faces a misdemeanor battery charge after the surveillance footage from Sunshine Skate Park depicted the violent altercation with the teenager. Witnesses reported that multiple people had asked the teen to leave the park as e-bikes are prohibited, and the teen had been provoking other park-goers before the incident unfolded.
According to the arrest report, the teenager was in the process of leaving the park on his e-bike when Hicks, who identified himself as a JSO detective, intervened. Hicks then left the scene before local police arrived, providing his name and badge number to a witness, and later surrendered to the JSO Integrity Unit.
Attorney Shannon Schott, representing the victim’s family, believes Hicks overstepped boundaries in addressing the situation and emphasizes that the teen and his family have faced online harassment and threats following the incident. On the other hand, Hicks’ attorney, Phil Vogelsang, argues that the officer’s actions were driven by a concern for public safety, pointing out that the teen was riding what he described as an electric motorcycle capable of high speeds.
In response to the incident, witnesses expressed mixed reactions. While some believed the officer’s actions were justified due to safety concerns, others felt that the force used was excessive, emphasizing that it was inappropriate for an adult to handle the situation in such a manner.
Hicks has pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge and has been reassigned to administrative duties while the investigation progresses. It is worth noting that over the past four years, Hicks has been subject to eight internal investigations, with seven of them resulting in policy violations and traffic incidents. Vogelsang clarifies that these previous incidents are separate from the current criminal case.
Hicks was scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday morning, marking a crucial moment in the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding this case. As the investigation continues, the community awaits further updates on the outcome of the incident at Sunshine Skate Park.