A Vermont police officer pleaded not guilty on Monday to an aggravated assault charge accusing him of using excessive force while arresting a man for jaywalking in St. Johnsbury in May.
St. Johnsbury police Sgt. George Johnson did not have sufficient cause to stop John Stelzl, 35, on May 10, state police said. A physical altercation ensued and Johnson used excessive force on Stelzl, who was taken to the hospital for treatment of significant injuries, police said. Stelzl was later released from the hospital.
According to a police affidavit, Johnson said he pulled into a parking lot next to a bike pavilion after he saw a man who appeared to be ducking out of sight. The man, Stelzl, walked away immediately and crossed the street, Johnson said. When Johnson caught up with him in his cruiser, he told Stelzl he had not used the crosswalk. As Johnson got out of the cruiser, Stelzl ran away.
Johnson caught up with him, grabbed him from behind and told him he was being detained. Stelzl fell to the ground and repeatedly yelled, “help,” according to a review of Johnson's body camera video by state police. Johnson sprayed him with pepper spray as he refused to roll over and continued to yell, “stop.”
Stelzl then grabbed Johnson's Taser, which Johnson knocked out of his hand. He shocked Stelzl in the chest with it as another officer arrived as backup. Stelzl shocked Johnson in the leg, and the other officer shocked Stelzl as well.
Johnson then hit Stelzl, who was flailing on the ground, in the face with the grip of the Taser before kneeling on Stelzl's head, pushing it into the pavement, according to the affidavit. Johnson then hit him in the back of thr head with a closed fist three times while yelling at him to roll over and put his hands behind his back. Stelzl yelled, “Why are you doing this?" and Johnson pressed the Taser into Stelzl's lower back as he cried out in pain, the affidavit states.
Johnson placed handcuffs on him, and he was taken by ambulance to the hospital. He was visibly shaking and was treated for a face injury in the ambulance, the affidavit states.
A lawyer for Johnson said in a statement Monday that his client “is confident that, if given the time and grace to defend himself in a court of law, the community will agree that his conduct was both lawful and justified.”
Stelzl was originally charged with multiple violations. The Caledonia County prosecutor’s office dismissed the charges after a review of Johnson’s body camera footage, police said.
Caledonia County State’s Attorney Jessica Zaleski told the St. Johnsbury’s police chief that she was concerned about Johnson’s use of force, state police said. Chief Joel Pierce referred the case to the Vermont State Police for an independent investigation. Pierce did not return a phone call seeking comment on Johnson's employment status.
Zaleski recused herself and asked the Grand Isle County state’s attorney to review the matter for criminal charges.
