Dashcam and body cam footage shows moments Ames man was thrown to the ground by ISU Police
By: Interference with official acts charges filed against an Ames man were recently dropped during his trial after a judge said an Iowa State University police officer verbally and physically assaulted him.
It happened near Campus Town in Ames, where Dariq Myles was pulled over by an ISU Police Officer, and the altercation ended with him being thrown to the ground and tearing his labrum in August 2023.
Court records show this traffic stop happened in August 2023 by Iowa State University Police.
The officer, Frankie Contreras, can be heard in the video saying he initiated the stop because of Myles' tinted windows, but it quickly turned into an argument.
"One second, I was given orders by the police and then the next moment, I was being slammed to the ground screaming in pain while people were watching me be assaulted," Myles said.
Myles' case was brought to trial, but after reviewing the evidence, Judge Stephen Owen dismissed it, stating Myles was never given a chance to comply with Contreras' orders and described the officer's actions as verbal and physical assault.
"There are occasions after 27 years where I am still shocked to the core by what I see. This is one of those days. I am stunned this came to trial," Judge Owens said in his decision to dismiss the case.
ISU Police sent a statement to KCCI reading in part, "While the review concluded that there was not an excessive use of force in this situation, the review and the officer himself acknowledged that he could have used better de-escalation techniques during the traffic stop. The officer in this case has and will continue to receive advanced training in these areas."
Myles says he hopes the department takes their de-escalation training seriously.
"Instead of going for defund the police. I'm asking that, hopefully, that they can get more funding. And like I said, get more training and things like this so we don't have to worry about de-escalation turning into violence," Myles said.
Myles says he and his attorney are working on a civil case to be brought forward against the ISU Police, but it has not yet been filed.
In an unrelated case, Myles was arrested and charged by Ames police in November for allegedly stealing a bottle of liquor from a Kum and Go. He is pleading not guilty to those charges.