Police Officer in Moats Case Resigns
Police Officer in Moats Case Resigns
The Dallas police officer who kept NFL running back Ryan Moats from seeing his dying mother-in-law reportedly has resigned.
The officer, Robert Powell, resigned today, his attorney told the Associated Press.
Powell had been placed on paid administrative leave following the incident, in which Powell lectured Moats, threatened to arrest him and ticketed him in a hospital parking lot after Moats's vehicle went through a red light en route to the hospital. Moats tried to explain to Powell that his mother-in-law was near death but, after being delayed approximately 13 minutes by Powell, Moats did not arrive at her bedside until after she'd died.
Dallas police officials had issued apologies and had said that Powell acted improperly during the traffic stop.
Moats and his wife said during a nationally televised interview this week that Powell had pointed his gun at Moats's wife, Tamishia, during the incident. Powell reportedly had told his superiors that he'd drawn his gun but hadn't pointed it. The Moatses said they would accept Powell's apology.
The Dallas Morning News had called for Powell's dismissal in an editorial.
According to the Morning News, Powell issued a written statement today through his attorneys.
"With a heavy heart and great sadness, I resigned from the Dallas Police Department this morning," Powell said in the written statement, according to the Morning News. "I made this decision in the hope that my resignation will allow the Dallas Police Department, my fellow officers, and the citizens of Dallas to better reflect on this experience, learn from the mistakes made, and move forward."
Powell indicated he still hoped to speak to the Moats family to apologize directly, and he apologized to fellow officers.
"I have sincere respect and admiration for the men and women of the Dallas Police Department and the work they perform daily," Powell said in his written statement, according to the Morning News, "and I wish them well."
Powell had apologized to the Moats family in the form of a previous written statement. Tamishia Moats said during an appearance Monday on ABC's "Good Morning America" that she hoped to hear directly from Powell.
Powell said during an interview with a Dallas television station this week that he'd handled the situation improperly and regretted his actions. He said during the TV interview that he feared being fired because of the incident.
Dallas officer who detained Ryan Moats wishes he had acted differently
The Dallas police officer who has received national criticism for detaining an NFL player as his mother-in-law was dying said Monday that he wishes he had handled the situation differently.
Officer Robert Powell, who publicly apologized last week for adding to the family's grief, explained what he wishes he had done instead.
"If I were in that situation again, I would take them inside and let them be with their mother, which is where they needed to be," Powell told KTVT (Channel 11).
NFL running back Ryan Moats, 26, told police that he rolled through a red light with his hazard lights on March 17 as he was rushing his family to a Plano hospital to visit his dying mother-in-law. Powell pulled over the Moatses' SUV outside the emergency room. He kept Moats and another relative there for 13 minutes as he wrote a traffic ticket.
Powell said he wasn't sure what was happening when the Moats family jumped out of the car to rush inside the hospital.
"I have never had a traffic stop like this," Powell said. "Everything at that point is training kicking in. I don't know what they're doing. I don't know what's going on."
Powell told KTVT that he doesn't know why he didn't let Moats and his family proceed inside the hospital after they made it clear that they were visiting a dying relative. Two of the Moats relatives ran into the hospital despite Powell's commands.
"I don't know why I didn't," he said. "I should have."
The Moats family has said Powell pointed his gun at Tamishia Moats, Ryan Moats' wife. Powell said he doesn't recall that.
"Once I found out there was no threat, I did reholster my weapon immediately," he said.
He said the outrage the incident sparked has been difficult for him and his wife, who have two young children.
"To say that I'm scared of being fired - I would say it's an understatement," he said. "I'm terrified."
Moats, a graduate of Bishop Lynch High School, lives in Frisco. He plays for the Houston Texans.
Moats, his wife and two other family members were headed to Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano when Powell pulled them over.
Moats stopped at a red light near the hospital, hazard lights flashing, and then drove through it after the motorist with the right-of-way signaled for him to go ahead, Moats told police.
"I got there as safely as I could," he said in a television interview.
Powell, watching traffic from a hidden spot, turned on his lights and sirens, caught up with Moats' vehicle and followed it into a hospital parking lot.
There, the police officer - who has since been placed on leave - detained Moats, threatening and berating him.
Moats' mother-in-law died before he could get in to see her.
Moats appeared on ABC-TV's Good Morning America on Monday morning.
"I was afraid for ... [my wife] because he was pointing a gun at her," Ryan Moats said.
When Powell pulled him over, "I didn't realize what was going on at the time," Moats said. "Once I got out, I realized it was pretty serious.
"I understand about the red light, but I thought he'd have some kind of sympathy."
Tamishia Moats said the family has not heard from Powell personally.
"It would be comforting to get an apology from him," she said. "We definitely would accept his apology."
The Dallas police officer who kept NFL running back Ryan Moats from seeing his dying mother-in-law reportedly has resigned.
The officer, Robert Powell, resigned today, his attorney told the Associated Press.
Powell had been placed on paid administrative leave following the incident, in which Powell lectured Moats, threatened to arrest him and ticketed him in a hospital parking lot after Moats's vehicle went through a red light en route to the hospital. Moats tried to explain to Powell that his mother-in-law was near death but, after being delayed approximately 13 minutes by Powell, Moats did not arrive at her bedside until after she'd died.
Dallas police officials had issued apologies and had said that Powell acted improperly during the traffic stop.
Moats and his wife said during a nationally televised interview this week that Powell had pointed his gun at Moats's wife, Tamishia, during the incident. Powell reportedly had told his superiors that he'd drawn his gun but hadn't pointed it. The Moatses said they would accept Powell's apology.
The Dallas Morning News had called for Powell's dismissal in an editorial.
According to the Morning News, Powell issued a written statement today through his attorneys.
"With a heavy heart and great sadness, I resigned from the Dallas Police Department this morning," Powell said in the written statement, according to the Morning News. "I made this decision in the hope that my resignation will allow the Dallas Police Department, my fellow officers, and the citizens of Dallas to better reflect on this experience, learn from the mistakes made, and move forward."
Powell indicated he still hoped to speak to the Moats family to apologize directly, and he apologized to fellow officers.
"I have sincere respect and admiration for the men and women of the Dallas Police Department and the work they perform daily," Powell said in his written statement, according to the Morning News, "and I wish them well."
Powell had apologized to the Moats family in the form of a previous written statement. Tamishia Moats said during an appearance Monday on ABC's "Good Morning America" that she hoped to hear directly from Powell.
Powell said during an interview with a Dallas television station this week that he'd handled the situation improperly and regretted his actions. He said during the TV interview that he feared being fired because of the incident.
Dallas officer who detained Ryan Moats wishes he had acted differently
The Dallas police officer who has received national criticism for detaining an NFL player as his mother-in-law was dying said Monday that he wishes he had handled the situation differently.
Officer Robert Powell, who publicly apologized last week for adding to the family's grief, explained what he wishes he had done instead.
"If I were in that situation again, I would take them inside and let them be with their mother, which is where they needed to be," Powell told KTVT (Channel 11).
NFL running back Ryan Moats, 26, told police that he rolled through a red light with his hazard lights on March 17 as he was rushing his family to a Plano hospital to visit his dying mother-in-law. Powell pulled over the Moatses' SUV outside the emergency room. He kept Moats and another relative there for 13 minutes as he wrote a traffic ticket.
Powell said he wasn't sure what was happening when the Moats family jumped out of the car to rush inside the hospital.
"I have never had a traffic stop like this," Powell said. "Everything at that point is training kicking in. I don't know what they're doing. I don't know what's going on."
Powell told KTVT that he doesn't know why he didn't let Moats and his family proceed inside the hospital after they made it clear that they were visiting a dying relative. Two of the Moats relatives ran into the hospital despite Powell's commands.
"I don't know why I didn't," he said. "I should have."
The Moats family has said Powell pointed his gun at Tamishia Moats, Ryan Moats' wife. Powell said he doesn't recall that.
"Once I found out there was no threat, I did reholster my weapon immediately," he said.
He said the outrage the incident sparked has been difficult for him and his wife, who have two young children.
"To say that I'm scared of being fired - I would say it's an understatement," he said. "I'm terrified."
Moats, a graduate of Bishop Lynch High School, lives in Frisco. He plays for the Houston Texans.
Moats, his wife and two other family members were headed to Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano when Powell pulled them over.
Moats stopped at a red light near the hospital, hazard lights flashing, and then drove through it after the motorist with the right-of-way signaled for him to go ahead, Moats told police.
"I got there as safely as I could," he said in a television interview.
Powell, watching traffic from a hidden spot, turned on his lights and sirens, caught up with Moats' vehicle and followed it into a hospital parking lot.
There, the police officer - who has since been placed on leave - detained Moats, threatening and berating him.
Moats' mother-in-law died before he could get in to see her.
Moats appeared on ABC-TV's Good Morning America on Monday morning.
"I was afraid for ... [my wife] because he was pointing a gun at her," Ryan Moats said.
When Powell pulled him over, "I didn't realize what was going on at the time," Moats said. "Once I got out, I realized it was pretty serious.
"I understand about the red light, but I thought he'd have some kind of sympathy."
Tamishia Moats said the family has not heard from Powell personally.
"It would be comforting to get an apology from him," she said. "We definitely would accept his apology."