CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Sheriff's deputy arrested following drunken crash with inmate
DALLAS COUNTY (KATV) — A Dallas County Sheriff’s deputy has tendered his resignation following an incident involving the deputy, an inmate and the deputy’s personal vehicle, according to Dallas County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Josh McMullen.
The incident happened Saturday night in Jefferson County on Old Warren Road just outside Pine Bluff. Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies were called out to an accident where a vehicle had fallen into a ditch and crashed into a fence. Deputies would later discover the driver of the vehicle was Jason Poole, 38, a Dallas County jail inmate; sitting shotgun was Dallas County Sheriff’s Investigator Chance Dodson, 42 of Rison.
Both Poole and Dodson were taken into custody and transported to the White Hall Police Department to administer a blood alcohol content test, JCSO officials saying their BAC reader wasn’t working at the time.
Body camera video from White Hall Police shows a belligerent Dodson, telling his arresting officers that they’re “on the same team,” rattling off names of officers that he knows and questioning why he was being put in handcuffs.
DODSON: “You wanna uncuff me? Please.”
OFFICER: “No sir, not the way you’ve been acting. No.”
DODSON: “Are you still fixing to handcuff me?”
OFFICER: “Yes – I’m not fixing to, you are.”
Major Lafayette Woods of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said Dodson’s behavior certainly didn’t reflect that of someone in law enforcement.
“He was uncooperative in all phases of this encounter, only at one point giving his name,” said Major Woods.
OFFICER: “Are you a police officer?”
DODSON: “Yes sir.”
OFFICER: “What department?”
DODSON: “What department do you want me to be?”
According to incident reports, Dodson had told deputies that he was an undercover police officer and they had just blown his cover. When Dallas County Sheriff Stan McGahee was informed of Dodson’s undercover claims, according to an incident report McGahee told investigators, “I doubt in another county and in his personal vehicle, I don’t think so.”
Dallas County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy McMullen spoke with KATV off-camera, confirming the department had initially suspended Deputy Dodson while Jefferson County pieced together their investigation. McMullen said following receipt of the report, DCSO planned to fire Dodson but Dodson ended up turning in his resignation a day before.
Deputies in Dallas County were reportedly allowed to check out inmates “to do jobs,” according to statements made by Sheriff McGahee in the incident report. McMullen told KATV their policy has since changed, and if any deputy needs to take an inmate out it must be given written consent by either himself or Sheriff McGahee.
McMullen confirmed Sheriff McGahee bailed out now former Deputy Dodson. Because Dodson wasn’t seen in the driver’s seat when deputies arrived at the accident scene, the former deputy was simply charged with disorderly conduct.
Authorities believe Dodson was too drunk to drive and let inmate Poole drive his personal vehicle instead. But Poole was drunk as well, blowing a 0.14 BAC at the White Hall Police Department. Poole has been charged with DWI.
