VIDEO: News Crew Defends W.Va. Officer

A news crew riding with Beckley (W.Va.) Police Cpl. C.D. McCormick defended the officer to an irate motorist after the officer pulled over the driver for talking on his cell phone.

WVNS reporter Jessie Gavin and a cameraman were riding along with McCormick when the officer pulled over a red truck. When the two vehicles pulled into a parking lot, the truck's driver got out of the truck and initially refused the officer's commands to return to the driver's seat.

After McCormick issued the man a citation for illegally talking while driving—a new state law went into effect July 1 banning talking on cell phones while driving—the reporters went over to talk to the driver.

The man tells Gavin he's filing a complaint against the officer and Gavin declined to give her name. Gavin tells the driver she didn't think the officer was being rude and said his command to return to the vehicle was for the officer's safety.

The video of the encounter was aired on the evening news and posted to the WVNS Facebook page, but removed it after intense criticism, reports Gawker .