BROOKLYN, Ohio (WOIO) \u2014 A former Brooklyn police sergeant is now facing assault charges after video showed him repeatedly punching a handcuffed woman during an arrest last year.<\/p>\n
Police are concealing the woman\u2019s identity because they now consider her a victim.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, independent prosecutor Brian Kraft<\/a> charged Paul Stein with one count of assault following an internal investigation that led to his termination in September. <\/p>\n The incident occurred Sept. 4 when officers arrested a 36-year-old Parma woman on an outstanding warrant for aggravated menacing.<\/p>\n Video obtained by 19 Investigates shows the woman was drunk and belligerent when Stein and five other officers responded to assist. <\/p>\n When she didn\u2019t cooperate, officers tried to strap her to a restraint chair.<\/p>\n Use of force escalates during arrest<\/p>\n The woman was wearing only socks when video shows Stein stepping on her feet with his boots to stop her from kicking.<\/p>\n \u201cGet off my foot now. Get off my foot now,\u201d the woman said in the video.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re hurting me. Get off my feet,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Despite her pleas, video shows Stein remained planted on her feet for three and a half minutes while he pinned her shoulders to the restraint chair. <\/p>\n The woman then spit directly in Stein\u2019s face, hitting his beard and left cheek. <\/p>\n Within seconds, the officer responded with five punches to the woman\u2019s jaw.<\/p>\n \u201cYou spit on me again you\u2019re going to get it,\u201d Stein said after the punches.<\/p>\n Previous incident involving hit-and-run allegations<\/p>\n This was not Stein\u2019s first controversial incident. <\/p>\n Last May 19 Investigates first reported<\/a> an incident<\/a> involving Stein that happened on April 30 on I- 90 in Westlake.<\/p>\n Juan Wyckoff from Maple Heights said Stein\u2019s Chevy Silverado hit his car \u2014 then sped off at more than 100 miles per hour. <\/p>\n At the time, Wyckoff didn\u2019t know Stein was an off-duty police officer on his way to work.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m like he literally just tried to run me off the highway and kept going,\u201d Wyckoff said.<\/p>\n Wyckoff then followed the truck, grabbed his cellphone and recorded it driving erratically. <\/p>\n At one point, the truck exits I-90 and races through Rocky River\u2019s residential streets, barreling through red lights.<\/p>\n When both arrived at the police station, Wyckoff followed Stein to the employee entrance. <\/p>\n Surveillance video captured Stein aggressively pushing Wyckoff away and kicking his leg.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen is assault on camera not a crime?\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cThat makes no sense because if I would\u2019ve defended myself, I wouldn\u2019t have been able to talk to nobody.\u201d<\/p>\n Wyckoff wanted to press charges.<\/p>\n However, after police investigated<\/a>, Stein was only issued a traffic citation.<\/p>\n Chief Scott Mielke<\/a> gave Stein a written reprimand<\/a>.<\/p>\n Internal investigation leads to termination<\/p>\n During a pre-disciplinary conference, Stein said the force he used against the woman was reasonable. <\/p>\n However, Chief Mielke disagreed. <\/p>\n An internal investigation found the punches were \u201cexcessive and egregious.\u201d <\/p>\n Stein was fired Sept. 17.<\/p>\n After 18 years of enforcing the law, the former officer is now accused of breaking it. <\/p>\n His arraignment is scheduled for next Wednesday in Parma Municipal Court<\/a>.<\/p>\n