DETROIT (WXYZ) — A former Highland Park police officer, currently serving a jail sentence for Tasing a man in Center Line, pleaded no contest to criminal charges stemming from a separate Tasing revealed by a 7 News Detroit investigation.
Dammeon Player was charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, assault with a dangerous weapon and common law offenses—all felonies—stemming from the 2020 Tasing.
RELATED: Highland Park police hid officer's first violent tasing. Years later, he was charged over another.
As 7 News first reported last year, Player had been called to a Burger King along Woodward Avenue to respond to a man who refused to leave the restaurant. Player would later Tase the man while he was observed walking away, and the man was seen striking his head on a brick wall and briefly laying unconscious.
On June 18, Player pleaded no contest to the charges of common law offenses and assault with a dangerous weapon. A charge of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder was dismissed.
Earlier this month, Player was sentenced to 45 days in jail over a 2023 Tasing from his time as a Warren police officer and began serving his sentence last Friday.
Those charges stem from an altercation between Player and truck driver Oleh Deka who was trying to back his semi into a loading dock in Center Line, outside the officer’s jurisdiction.
While he backed up, Deka was blocking traffic and prompted officers to respond.
On body camera footage, Officer Player is heard shouting at Deka, telling him to open his door or be Tased. Player would eventually Tase Deka twice once he was pulled out of his truck.
His fellow officer, a trainee at the time of the incident, had also been charged over the Tasing, but the felony charge against him was later dismissed.
At a court hearing lats year, Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor Dale Vande Vrede said what should have been a "minor traffic offense" was “escalated very quickly," primarily by Player.
Deka was charged with nothing following the stop. Player would later be fired by Warren Police and the city agreed to pay Deka $400,000 just a month after he was Tased.
The entire case was kept quiet by Warren officials for six months until it was discovered by 7 News Detroit. Days after being questioned by 7 Investigator Ross Jones in February, Commissioner Bill Dwyer was forced out of his job by Mayor Lori Stone.
Contact 7 Investigator Ross Jones at ross.jones@wxyz.com or at (248) 827-9466.