ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 12, 1996 TAG: 9602120053
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
A Roanoke man was arrested Sunday after a struggle that sent him, two city police officers and one state trooper to the hospital with bites, bruises and busted mouths.
Police charged Steven Leftwich, 30, with assault and battery of Roanoke police officers E.T. Wilson and D.C. Dean and the malicious wounding of State Trooper R.J. Carpentieri.
Leftwich and some of his family members are crying foul. They said police had no reason to stop Leftwich and his cousin at 4 a.m. Sunday as they were heading home after a night out. Police "apparently just beat him up," said Victoria Poindexter, Leftwich's aunt.
Police did not say why officers stopped Leftwich and his cousin, nor would they confirm Leftwich's claim that the two were pulled over for a broken taillight. They accuse Leftwich of biting two officers, punching another in the mouth and grabbing one officer's revolver.
Police said Wilson responded to a call in the first block of East Campbell Avenue to help Dean, who was trying to take Leftwich into custody.
Leftwich, police said, had Dean on his knees and was pulling on the officer's weapon. They gave this account:
Wilson and Carpentieri placed Leftwich on the ground to handcuff him, but Leftwich pushed himself up. Leftwich then swung his fist and struck Wilson in the mouth. Wilson went down on his back, and Leftwich ran, police said.
Wilson and Dean went after him. As Dean tried to grab Leftwich, he, Leftwich and Wilson fell into the window of Sunshine One Hour Cleaners, breaking it. As the officers tried to get Leftwich under control, he bit Wilson on the left hand, breaking the skin. As Dean tried to place his arms around Leftwich, Leftwich bit Dean on the finger, police said.
Leftwich tried to run again and was caught, but the officers weren't able to hold him on the ground, police said. They tried to handcuff him, but he pushed up and threw the officers off. At one point, he grabbed an officer's service revolver but was unable to gain control of it, police said.
The officers couldn't get Leftwich's hands close enough to handcuff them. They finally used two sets of handcuffs, fastened to each other, police said.
Police said Leftwich's cousin, who had been driving the car, was polite and cooperative.
Wilson was treated at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Carpentieri was treated at Roanoke Memorial for bites on his hand and arm and a left shoulder injury. Police did not know where Dean was treated.
Leftwich was treated at Roanoke Memorial for facial bruises.
Mayor David Bowers said Leftwich's family called him to complain and he has asked police for a full investigation and report. Since a state police officer was involved, Bowers said he also will request an investigation from that department.
Frank Roupas, who owns the building that houses Sunshine cleaners, said police called him Sunday about the broken window - the same window that was broken by vandals on Feb. 11 a year ago.
"I can't believe the same window was broken a year ago to the day," Roupas said. ``$850 is what it cost last year to replace it. I guess it'll be another $850 this year."
He expects to replace the window today, he said.
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