Aggravated assault charges against an Oklahoma police sergeant accused of severely injuring an elderly man during a traffic stop have been dismissed.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced Friday that the charges against Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Joseph Gibson were dropped. Gibson was charged by after an Oct. 27 incident during a traffic stop involving 71-year-old Lich Vu.
Body camera footage showed Gibson stopping Vu for allegedly making an illegal U-turn after a minor accident. When Vu refused to sign the citation and exited his vehicle, an argument ensued.
Security footage showed Vu touching Gibson's arm, prompting the officer to grab Vu's hand, force it behind his back, and throw him to the ground. Vu suffered severe injuries, including a neck fracture, orbital fracture, and brain bleed.
Drummond, who took over the case, said in a statement that he found no evidence of criminal intent in Gibson's actions. "As Attorney General, I will not permit Oklahoma police officers to face criminal prosecution for conduct adhering to their training," he said.
Drummond emphasized the importance of the public following police instructions, noting that the incident might have been avoided if Vu had refrained from physical contact with the officer.
Vu, an active member of Oklahoma City's Vietnamese community and a US military veteran, was on his way home after attending church with his wife at the time of the incident, News 9 reported.
"This is not how you treat someone that is 5'3, 115 lbs with bone cancer after a car accident," Vu's daughter, Teresa Vu wrote in an Instagram post. "Especially if English is their second language."
Oklahoma City Police Department is conducting an internal investigation, which could lead to non-criminal disciplinary action against Gibson, despite the dismissal of criminal charges.
