CHEROKEE COUNTY, Okla. — A Cherokee County Deputy has been arrested and faces charges of assault and battery.
According to an affidavit, Justin Richardson was chasing a wanted man, Darren Howard, who had several outstanding felony warrants.
Law enforcement from multiple agencies, including the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, searched for Howard for several hours on February 12.
Howard was found in a wooded area and brought to the Cherokee County Detention Center. Once he was booked in, Howard began complaining of blurred vision and dizziness. Other officers witnessed him spit up bloody mucus and decided to take him to get medical care.
The next day, Richardson filed a CCSO Use of Force report. He admitted that he hit Howard in the head with his elbow as he was chasing him. Richardson also admitted that his body camera was not turned on during the chase.
Further investigation showed that Richardson's body camera was turned on during the chase but turned off during Howard's arrest.
That same day, the Director of the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, Daniel Mead, reached out to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. Mead reported that one of his deputy marshals witnessed Richardson unnecessarily strike Howard in the head with his knee. Mead said that Howard was not resisting arrest at the time.
Richardson was fired after this conversation.
Several days later, investigators received statements from four deputy marshals from the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.
One of the deputy marshals reported that Richardson said, "If we find this guy, I want some time with him before he goes into cuffs."
When another person cautioned Richardson, he allegedly said, "F*** him, he burnt my truck, he's got one coming."
This interaction was caught on one of the deputy marshals' body cameras.
An OHP trooper and a CCSO deputy told CCSO investigators that they did not hear Richardson make threats against Howard.
Richardson is due back in court on April 13.
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