The Dallas Police Department has asked the district attorney's office to prosecute two officers accused of holding country music singer Steve Holy and a friend at gunpoint on Dec. 27.
Dallas PD investigators requested that the DA file misdemeanor deadly conduct charges against Officer Randy Anderson and Officer Paul Loughridge. However, prosecutors are considering more serious charges.
Both officers have been placed on administrative leave. Police Chief David Kunkle told the Dallas Morning News that a disciplinary hearing will be scheduled soon for the two officers.
According to Holy's attorney, the two officers were introduced to the singer at a local bar. They then went to Holy's home where they played foosball with Holy and his friend Walter McRae in Holy's garage. While they were drinking and playing foosball, Officer Anderson allegedly began to question Holy's identity.
Dallas police reports filed with the district attorney's office give the following account of the incident:
"Suspect Anderson pointed a gun at the Complainant's face and yelled for him to get face down on the floor," the report says. "While face down on the floor, the Complainant felt what he believed to be the barrel of the gun pressed to the back of his head."
Officer Loughridge is accused of pointing a gun at Walter McRae's head and telling him to get on the floor. The reports say that Loughridge then went into the house, and McRae took the opportunity to run next door for help."
Holy reportedly told investigators that Officer Anderson ordered him to go get some ID. He then went upstairs and told his wife to call 911, according to his attorney.
The investigators say that Holy came back to the garage and gave Officer Anderson his driver's license. The report gives this account: "Suspect Anderson ordered the Complainant back to the ground, pointing the gun at him."
Officer Anderson reportedly began climbing the stairs yelling at Holy's wife. Officer Anderson then came back down the stairs "with the gun no longer in his hand and stated to the Complainant [that] he would kill him if he said anything about the incident," the report says. He also allegedly told Holy's wife to call 911 back and say that she no longer needed help. Then the two off-duty officers left.
"It just makes not one bit of sense why they would have drawn their guns and threatened these gentlemen," Chief Kunkle told the Dallas Morning News. "If the evidence supports what we initially heard they had done, it's a serious crime and we will make sure that we use all of our influence to get the maximum prosecution on it."
When contacted by the paper, Officer Loughridge declined to comment on the incident, but he did say, "I have faith in the criminal justice system, and I believe in the end of this I'm going to be exonerated."
The paper could not contact Officer Anderson.
Anderson and Loughridge could be charged with aggravated assault, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
