Crime & Courts

CMPD officer accused of pushing bicyclist to the ground charged with assault

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer was arrested and charged with simple assault after he was accused of pushing a bicyclist to the ground, police said.
A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer was arrested and charged with simple assault after he was accused of pushing a bicyclist to the ground, police said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer was arrested and charged with simple assault Friday after he was accused of pushing a bicyclist to the ground, police said.

Officer Malcolm Joseph is on unpaid administrative leave during an internal investigation, according to a CMPD news release.

The bicyclist suffered minor injuries, police said. The bicyclist was moving at the time and suffered abrasions, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Officer posts bond, faces court hearing

The encounter happened just after 2 a.m. Friday in the CMPD Central Division, police said. Police released no other information about the incident, including the street and block number.

Joseph, 34, was hired on Sept. 3, 2024, and is assigned to the Central Division, police said.

The officer is free on $2,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in court Monday, court records show.

In a statement in the news release, Police Chief Estella Patterson said:

“No one is above the law, especially those of us entrusted to uphold it. The alleged actions of this individual are troubling and do not reflect the values of our organization. CMPD is committed to building community trust through transparency and accountability.”

Joe Marusak
The Charlotte Observer
Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news. Support my work with a digital subscription
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