Chris Moore was traveling on Stemmons Freeway in Dallas on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend with 50 to 100 sport bikes when he was pulled over for traveling below the posted speed limit.
“I didn’t expect that at all,” Moore said.
Police officers were out in excess during the holiday weekend in order to prevent a second shutdown of a Dallas freeway like what occurred on Memorial Day weekend of 2011 that led to three arrests. Dallas Deputy Sheriff James Westbrook said that he wanted to find out what was on the camera Moore had with him.
The conversation between Moore and Westbrook is below:
MOORE: “Was I doing something wrong? What am I being pulled over for?”
WESTBROOK: “The whole group of you guys.”
MOORE: “No. I was not, individually. How can you pull me over?”
WESTBROOK: “The reason you’re being pulled over is because I’m gonna take your camera and we’re gonna use it as evidence of the crimes that have been committed by other bikers.”
MOORE: “I have not committed any crimes, and you cannot take my personal property from me, sir.”
WESTBOOK: “That’s fine. Need to see your license and registration.”
Hunter Biederman, the lawyer for Moore, said he reviewed the recording and said, “Here this officer decided to just go rogue and pull over the first guy he saw with a helmet camera on.” Moore said it is not illegal to have a video camera but when the Deputy returned he arrested Moore for having a concealed license plate.
WESTBROOK: “You’re under arrest for your license plate being obstructed. Place your hands.”
MOORE: “Are you kidding me, dude?”
WESTBROOK: “Place your hands behind your back.”
MOORE: “Why’d you pull me over in the first place?”
WESTBROOK: “Have a seat, okay?”
MOORE: “Sir. Sir. What you did to me was not right. You know it.”
WESTBROOK: “I’m going to ask you one more time to have a seat.”
MOORE: “That’s f’ed up. Where’s my bike going?”
WESTBROOK: “Sit down.I’m telling you to chill out.”
On the video, Westbrook can be seen shoving Moore into his patrol car and slamming the door with force. The Sheriff’s Office released a written statement that said Moore was pulled over for a concealed license plate. The video was confiscated by the police and turned in to the gang unit as evidence. The bike Moore was riding on was impounded and he had to spend eight hours in jail, which Moore said was the result of a charge created after the fact.
“Completely shocked at their behavior,” he said.
