If someone doesn’t want you in their house or in their place of business, it’s probably wise of you to get the heck out of there. Even, if it’s a bar, and it’s only 6 in the evening.
Key West Police Officer Kristopher Bouvier responded to such a complaint at Tattoos and Scars Saloon, 512 Greene St., Tuesday.
It seems that a man, later identified as 27-year-old Arthur Dawson, wouldn’t leave the saloon, although the bouncer had so requested. In fact, the bouncer said he had asked the man several times .
Bouvier said when he asked Dawson for identification, he walked away, disregarding Bouvier’s order to stop. Bouvier said he asked him a second time and when he still refused, Bouvier grabbed him by his shirt and again asked him for his identification. This time, Dawson, according to the police officer, replied, “You think you tough, huh? You think you’re big and bad.”
Well, maybe. Bouvier determined that Dawson was intoxicated and could no longer take care himself. So, the police officer placed him in the rear of his patrol car. But, that wasn’t the end of the story.
Next up was Dawson’s friend, one Dominique Lashe Joe, 19 years of age. It seems Joe was very upset that Dawson was in custody. Bouvier said he told the teenager that Dawson wasn’t being charged and that he would be released from jail within a few hours. Not good enough. As the officer attempted to speak to Dawson, Joe attempted to get between the two, saying, “Let him go. He didn’t do anything.”
Bouvier said as Joe approached the car “for the seventh time. I used my right hand to physically redirect her away from myself and the patrol car.” With Bouvier and Joe talking, Dawson was able to place his feet outside the patrol car. Bouvier told him to get back in the car and when he refused “no less than three more times, I displayed my Taser, removed the cartridge carrying the prongs and turned it on. I instructed Mr. Dawson no less than three more times to place his feet back in the patrol car. Mr. Dawson refused to comply, at which point I placed the Taser flush against his chest and drive stunned him. Mr. Dawson recoiled and pulled his feet into the patrol car, allowing me to close the door.”
Now, Joe became further irritated, hitting a passerby’s car with her hand, according to Bouvier.
“ When a witness attempted to calm Ms. Joe down, she said ‘I don’t care if I go to jail,’ ” reported officer Bouvier. So, he detained and later arrested Joe for interfering with Bouvier’s efforts to detain Dawson.
Joe was subsequently searched by Sgt. Areaka Jewell and transported to the Monroe County Detention Center by a third officer.
After all that, Bouvier requested an ambulance to treat Dawson for any potential injuries. He was later cleared and transported to the jail.
That still wasn’t the end of the story.
Before he left the scene, the manager of the bar informed Bouvier that she saw Dawson place
Joe in a choke hold and jabbed her several times in the chest with a pool cue. That began the series of the bar’s request that Dawson leave and the subsequent call to 911, requesting help.
The bar got it. And Dawson and Joe got free rides to Stock Island.
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