OSU’s newspaper, The Daily Barometer, reports Genesis Hansen was riding her bike in Corvallis when she was pulled over by an Oregon State Police Trooper. The reason provided by police was she failed to travel within the line.
The trooper reportedly asked Hansen to present identification. When she reportedly refused, she was arrested. Video from bystanders shows Hansen being taken to the ground, an act which witnesses called unnecessarily rough.
After the incident came to light, it was brought to the attention of Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson. The Daily Barometer said Haroldson reviewed some of the body cam footage and stated, “I do not see anything that could be charged criminally.” He explained Hansen may have been within her rights to refuse to present identification.
“If an arrest occurs unlawfully, any force used after that should not occur,” Haroldson is quoted.
KGW reports the NAACP stated the actions of the officers was “unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.”
Oregon State University President Ed Ray said, “The bottom line, to me, a student was riding her bicycle on the wrong side of the street, and it ends up with the student in handcuffs on the ground. Somebody has to tell me how this makes any kind of sense, regardless of who was involved.”
OSP is investigating the incident.
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