Deputy accused of threatening cabbie with gun is charged
Gee, wonder if she was carrying more than one...
June 19, 2004
Columbus Dispatch
An aggravated-menacing charge has been filed against the Franklin County deputy sheriff accused of aiming a gun at a cab driver while off duty last month.
Steve Schumaker, an Acme Taxi driver, filed a complaint against Deputy Tressa Brinkley after a May 17 incident that he described as road rage. Yesterday, a misdemeanor warrant was issued against Brinkley.
Schumaker said the incident began near Livingston Avenue and Lockbourne Road. This is his side:
Brinkley, 31, was driving a convertible when she abruptly cut in front of his cab. Schumaker honked his horn, and then both drivers exchanged obscene gestures.
When the two vehicles stopped side by side at a red light near Livingston and College avenues, Brinkley was aiming a gun, Schumaker said. "I’ll shoot you dead," she said.
Schumaker ducked, then dialed 911 and followed Brinkley’s car.
Columbus police stopped Brinkley’s car but did not file any charges. They told Brinkley that he could pursue charges through the city prosecutor’s office, Sgt. Brent Mull said.
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That’s standard when the offense is a misdemeanor and the police officers did not witness the incident, Mull said.
"There were two different stories about what happened," he said. "Keep in mind, she’s allowed to keep a gun."
But Schumaker questioned whether Columbus police avoided charging Brinkley because she’s a Franklin County deputy sheriff.
"If I pulled a gun on someone, I’d be sitting in jail right now," he said. "At the time this happened, I thought I was going to be shot to death."
Brinkley’s attorney Mark Collins said yesterday that his client would be cleared when all of the facts come out.
Brinkley will not be arrested because of the warrant issued yesterday. Instead, she’ll receive a summons to appear in court, said a Municipal Court deputy clerk.
Sheriff Jim Karnes said the internal-affairs division of his office is investigating the matter, but any decision about possible discipline will wait until after the criminal case is decided.
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