Date: 01/23/2020
Title: Press Release from Fort Payne Police Department
Chief Randy Bynum stated a call on January 20 of possible trespassing that lead to a violent arrest came into the Fort Payne Police Department. A property owner on South Godfrey Avenue called to report three subjects trespassing on property he owned. When officers arrived the three subjects were in the parking lot of the business. While officers were attempting to gather two subjects information the back seat passenger refused to give officers information as to who he was. He was later identified as Cesar Maldonado Jr, age 25 of Horton Alabama. Maldonado was making movements as to conceal something or reaching for something unknown.
Officers at the scene did state the Maldonado appeared to be under the influence of a drug or narcotic. Maldonado refused to keep his hands where officers could see them. He kept moving his hands toward the underside of the seat. Officers reached into the vehicle trying to control Maldonado’s hands to keep them in view and he actively resisted officers commands. Officers then attempted to remove Maldonado from the vehicle and he continued to push officers hands away continuing to struggle with Officers. Officers then used a tazer on Maldonado. Other officers arrived on the scene and attempted to remove Maldonado from the vehicle. Officers eventually removed him from the vehicle and got him on the ground to control his violent behavior. Maldonado continued to fight and resist with three officers present. Officers were able to get a handcuff on one wrist and he continued to fight to resist not letting officers get a handcuff on the other wrist.
As other officers arrived Maldonado was eventually put into handcuffs and officers tried to put him into a patrol vehicle. Maldonado continued to fight officers by kicking and continuing to resist them as they tried to place him in the back of the vehicle. Officers then used OC spray on Maldonado and it had little to no effect on him. Officers were eventually able to put Maldonado in the vehicle but he locked his legs straight so the officers could not close the door. Maldonado was able to get out of the vehicle as officers were trying to shut the door and continued to disobey loud verbal commands to stop resisting. Once officers finally contained Maldonado in the vehicle, he was transported to the Police Department, officers discovered Maldonado had multiple warrants, both felony and misdemeanors at other agencies. Those warrants included Escape 3rd degree from Marshall County Sheriffs department, Arrest Warrants for Attempting to Elude Law Enforcement and Reckless Endangerment with the Albertville Police Department and Resisting Arrest with the Blountsville Police Department.
Fire Medics and Dekalb Ambulance Service were called to the Fort Payne City Jail to check Maldonado after being tazed three times and sprayed with OC spray twice. Medical personel checked the subject out and everything seemed to be fine with him. An interview the next day with Maldonado revealed that he admitted to taking narcotics before the encounter with officers.
Maldonado is charged with:
• Assaut 2nd degree times 7
• Resisting Arrest times 2
• Criminal Mischief 2nd degree
• Using False Identity to Obstruct Justice
Maldonado has been transported to the Dekalb County Detention Center and his bond has been set at $517,500.
Chief Bynum stated this is an example of any law enforcement officer performing a routine task which could easily turn deadly for our officers or the suspect. Our officers showed great restraint for not using deadly force against this subject.
