ALMA, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) – New footage from gas station security cameras shows the encounter that led up to the viral arrest of a 27-year-old man. The video of Randal Worcester’s arrest appears to show him getting punched and kneed by two Crawford County deputies and a Mulberry police officer.
The footage is of two separate time slots. One was taken before Worcester’s arrest and one was taken after.
The first clip is time stamped around 10 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 21 at an Alma gas station. According to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the clerk who contacted police claimed Worcester spat at her and made threats against her.
In the video, as Worcester comes into frame, he motions toward the clerk as if he’s spitting, but it’s unclear whether or not he did. He then seems to get into a brief dispute with the clerk before riding away on his bike.
The second clip from the Alma gas station is time stamped around 11:50 a.m. Sunday morning. You can see law enforcement officials and a Crawford County Sheriff’s Department vehicle outside the store.
The officials appear to be talking with the clerk who was involved in the initial incident with Worcester. The second clip was taken after Worcester’s arrest that, according to State Police, happened around 10:40 a.m. in Mulberry.
David Powell, one of Worcester’s attorneys, commented Wednesday on the video, he said what he saw didn’t change his position. He said the video somewhat confirmed what Worcester told him about the incident in Alma, and he’s more concerned about what happened after.
“I believe the amount of force that was used when he was taken into custody was beyond excessive…,” said Powell. “…None of that warranted the beating that took place just a while later in Mulberry.”