Rock Hill officer testifies in hearing he was attacked first in controversial arrest
A Rock Hill police officer testified in court Friday that he was attacked first in the controversial June 23 arrest where two black men were arrested, and the use of police force is being questioned.
Also in court, that officer identified the other officers involved in the contentious arrest of Ricky Price and his brother, Travis Price. The incident was caught on cellphone video and prompted racial tensions and three days of protests in late June.
The officers’ names were read in open court.
Friday’s hearing at the Moss Justice Center in York was to determine if there is probable cause for the June 23 arrest of Ricky Price.
Officers identified
Before Friday, Rock Hill police had refused to identify the officers involved June 23.
Rock Hill Police Department Investigator Jonathan Soto said in court Friday when reading a case summary that Rock Hill officers Watson, Moreno, Palmer and himself were involved in the incident. After that public testimony, Rock Hill police issued a written statement identifying the officers involved as Shawn Watson, Jonathan Moreno, K-9 officer Matthew Palmer, and Soto.
Watson and Moreno, whom Friday’s court testimony and video show used force on Ricky and Travis Price, are on administrative leave while State Law Enforcement Division and the police department review the use of force in the incident.
Rock Hill police said in a previous statement Homeland Security was working with city officers on June 23. Two agents were involved, testimony showed Friday. Those agents last names were read in court by Soto Friday, but federal officials have not released the agents’ full identities.
Officer testifies about traffic stop, use of force
Soto testified that he was working June 23 with federal agents when he saw Ricky Price driving a 2017 Mustang convertible that swerved lanes and committed two other traffic infractions.
Soto testified he knew Price from previous encounters because of Price’s drug arrests and criminal record.
Soto testified Ricky Price made movements in the car during the stop and a K-9 dog brought to the scene found drugs. Inside the car, police found about 12 grams of marijuana in two bags, a loaded pistol in the compartment of the convertible top, $750 in cash, and .18 grams of crack cocaine, Soto testified.
Ricky Price, was taken into custody. He asked if he could give his jewelry to his brother Travis Price, who had arrived after the traffic stop, Soto testified. When officers took the handcuffs off Ricky Price, he threatened a federal agent, Soto testified.
“Immediately after removing the handcuffs, Price became aggressive and began to yell at Special Agent Justice, telling him several times, “I will beat your ass,’ ” Soto testified.
Soto testified he then saw Ricky Price was not in handcuffs and was resisting an agent. Soto said he went to assist the agents.
“Ricky Price punched Investigator Soto in the face with his left closed fist,” Soto read from the written police summary.
Officer Shaun Watson then arrived, Soto testified.
“Ricky Price continued to resist by kicking investigator Soto and pulling his t-shirt,” Soto said.
Ricky Price was taken to the ground where he continued to resist arrest, Soto testified.
Watson punched Ricky Price three times in the leg in an attempt to subdue him, Soto testified. When Ricky Price continued to fight, Watson then punched Ricky Price in the nose, Soto testified.
“Watson delivered a strike to Ricky’s face, striking him in the nose,” Soto testified. “This caused Ricky Price to become compliant.”
At the same time, Officer Moreno approached Travis Price nearby after he yelled at police, ‘You don’t need to point in his face,’ “ Soto testified.
Moreno backed him away from officers dealing with Ricky Price, Soto testified.
“Travis began to push his body into Investigator Moreno’s hands, passively resisting,” Soto testified.
Moreno and a federal agent then took Travis Price to the ground to detain him, Soto testified.
Travis Price was “passively belligerent” toward police during the take-down of Ricky Price, then was taken to the ground, Soto testified.
Ricky Price was then put in a police SUV, Soto testified. Video inside the vehicle showed Ricky Price allegedly trying to push items under the seat, Soto testified.
As of Friday police had not searched that police SUV or released what was found.
That police video, and other police body camera and police car dash camera videos of the arrest, were not played in court Friday and have not been released to the public.
Prosecutors, police continue
Soto testified to Jennifer Colton, 16th Circuit assistant solicitor, that Ricky Price’s fingerprints were found on the gun that was seized.
Soto also testified to questions from Colton that Ricky Price has three pending 2020 charges of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute. He was free on bond from the 2020 charges at the time of the June 23 arrest, Soto testified.
Ricky Price also has convictions from 2017 for drugs and another conviction, Soto testified.
“Ricky Price is a known drug dealer in Rock Hill,” Soto said in court.
Price’s lawyer argues against drugs charge
B.J. Barrowclough, 16th Circuit Public defender who is Price’s lawyer, argued in court there is no police video that shows the alleged traffic violations that led to the traffic stop.
Barrowclough asked Soto in court, “So we just are supposed to take your word for it?”
Soto told Barrowclough that he knew of no ongoing investigation into Ricky Price on June 23. Soto said he conducted the traffic stop because of the traffic violations and because he knew Ricky Price.
Barrowclough then argued to Rock Hill Municipal Judge Ray Long that the amount of crack cocaine recovered -- .18 grams -- was far below the inference level for police to believe Ricky Price was selling crack cocaine.
Barrowclough argued that police still don’t know if there were other drugs or anything allegedly attempted to be hidden in the police SUV by Ricky Price. Barrowclough declined to get into the facts of the arrest and take-down by police.
Judge rules
Long determined there was not probable cause to charge Ricky Price with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. He said there is probable cause for Price to be charged with simple possession of cocaine, so the charge was reduced to simple possession.
Long ruled there is probable cause for the charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, illegal carrying of a gun, and resisting arrest.
Ricky Price originally was charged with illegal possession of a weapon by a person convicted of a felony, Long said. That charge was dropped Friday after Colton said it should be a different charge and prosecutors would seek a new indictment.
What happens now?
Price remains in the York County jail without bond. No trial date has been set.
The charges against him must be presented to a York County grand jury, and indictments issued, before prosecutors can move forward with a trial.
Sixteenth Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett told The Herald he plans to release police videos in the case by around July 9.
Travis Price was released on bail June 24 after he was charged with misdemeanor hindering police. His lawyers, Justin Bamberg and Montrio Belton, have demanded that the charge be dropped. They said store surveillance video shows Travis Price did not hit officers or push officers.
Police said the investigation into charges against both brothers remains ongoing, so no charges have been dropped.
This story was originally published July 2, 2021 at 2:34 PM with the headline "Rock Hill officer testifies in hearing he was attacked first in controversial arrest."
