Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill and his lawyer, Julius B. Collins, have entered a not guilty plea to Hill’s two traffic citations that were received after a confrontation with police. Hill was ticketed for reckless driving and driving without a seat belt following a traffic stop where he argued with police before being handcuffed and pushed to the ground. Body camera footage showed two Miami-Dade Police officers parked on a highway and Hill passing them at a fast speed before being pursued. However, no evidence, such as a radar gun, was shown to confirm Hill’s exact speed, leading Collins to believe they have a case to plead not guilty, although the plea may change based on evidence presented later.
The body cam footage revealed an officer questioning Hill about his lack of a seat belt, although it was not clear in the footage if Hill was wearing one at that time. Further shots showed Hill without a seat belt and being told to keep his window down by the officer. Eventually, Hill was handcuffed and forced to the ground by an officer, leading to his release after about 25 minutes when his agent arrived. Hill has since called for the officer who put him in handcuffs, Danny Torres, to be fired, resulting in Torres being assigned to administrative duties while an investigation takes place. Torres’ lawyers are demanding his reinstatement and have stated that their client will not comment until the investigation is concluded.
Collins noted that they have not received all the official reports, including why Hill would plead guilty, whether he was wearing a seat belt at the time of the traffic stop, and what led to the confrontation with police. Hill’s earlier statement about the officer trying to get him to do something to him during the arrest also adds to the questions surrounding the incident. Collins mentioned that the plea may be subject to change based on the evidence presented in the police reports, which they have not received yet. Despite speculation, the exact details surrounding the incident remain unclear.
In the body camera footage, Hill can be heard stating that he will see the officers in court before reentering his vehicle upon his release. Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, arrived shortly after Hill was handcuffed and was present during the encounter with police. Hill’s calls for Officer Torres to be fired have led to the officer being placed on paid administrative duty while an investigation is conducted. The demand for Torres’s immediate reinstatement and a thorough, objective investigation has been made by his lawyers, who are awaiting the full facts of the incident to be revealed before making any further statements.
The footage shows a tense interaction between Hill and the officers, culminating in his arrest and subsequent release after his agent arrived. Hill has taken a firm stance against the actions of Officer Torres and has called for his dismissal in response to the incident. The conflicting narratives and lack of concrete evidence, such as a radar gun reading or official police reports, have created uncertainty surrounding the case. Collins and Hill are prepared to plead not guilty based on the available information, with the potential for the plea to be revisited as more details come to light. The investigation into the incident continues, with Officer Torres currently on administrative duty pending the outcome.
