BEDFORD — A 24-year-old Bedford man with an active arrest warrant was taken into custody early Wednesday morning, June 24th, after allegedly resisting officers and causing a scene in a residential neighborhood.
Justin Frederick Sowders, 24, of Bedford, was arrested by the Bedford Police Department. He faces preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement by force and disorderly conduct, in addition to his pre-existing warrant.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Bedford Police Officer Michael Bell, the incident began at approximately 1:41 a.m. on Wednesday. Emergency dispatchers received a 911 call reporting an active physical domestic fight at a residence located in the 1500 block of 2nd Street.
Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Bell made contact with the female caller and her daughter. The caller identified Sowder as her daughter’s significant other and the other party involved in the physical altercation.
Officer Bell was already aware that Sowders was wanted on an active, outstanding arrest warrant out of Lawrence County. However, the caller informed the officer she believed Sowders had fled the property on foot before police arrived.
While the caller went back inside to verify whether Sowders was truly gone, Officer Bell spotted Sowders approaching the residence from the east.
As Sowders walked toward the front door, Officer Bell intercepted him and informed him that he was under arrest on an active warrant. Officer Bell grabbed both of Sowders’ wrists and instructed him to place his hands behind his back. Sowders immediately began pulling his arms away, and his emotional state rapidly escalated.
Officer Bell managed to secure Sowders and began escorting him to Officer Blackburn’s parked patrol vehicle. At that point, Sowders began loudly shouting for his girlfriend, the caller’s daughter. Because of the late hour and the density of the residential neighborhood, Officer Bell repeatedly ordered Sowders to stop screaming.
The confrontation intensified as they reached the rear driver’s side door of the police cruiser. Sowders allegedly began anchoring his body weight against the officer and tried to forcibly spin around.
When Officer Bell opened the vehicle door and ordered him to step inside, Sowders refused, bracing his body firmly between the frame of the door and the vehicle to block entry.
Following several unheeded verbal commands, Officer Bell had to physically force Sowders into the back seat. Even after the door was shut, Sowders reportedly continued to yell loud enough to be heard clearly from outside the vehicle.
Sowders was transported to the Lawrence County Jail, where he was remanded to the custody of the Lawrence County Sheriff. Records show his original outstanding warrant was tied to a previous Bedford Police case from May.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the probable cause affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
