Marietta police have charged the man who was punched by one of its officers during a struggle with cops Sunday morning at IHOP with making threats to others in the restaurant.
Renardo Nehemiah Lewis, 39, now faces one count of making terroristic threats in connection to the March 31 incident at 179 Cobb Parkway North.
Before this infamous altercation with the cops, Lewis and his wife allegedly had a dispute with employees over their meal, Marietta police said.
According to an arrest warrant, Lewis allegedly said, "I'm gonna kill all of y’all” and "I will kill you," while gesturing a gun with his hand. Another witness told police that Lewis said, “I'm gonna shoot everyone in this (expletive).”
Officers were dispatched to the restaurant around 12:48 a.m. and began questioning the couple, who police said became "agitated" during the process.
Police said Lewis’ wife was demanding IHOP employees’ names and telephone numbers because she was upset they didn’t get bacon with their order.
READ | Marietta PD investigating video of cop punching man on floor at IHOP
In a video posted on Instagram by Lewis' relative, the Marietta resident and his wife repeatedly tell officers no threat was made. One officer grabs Lewis and he responds by telling the cop, "please don't grab me, sir." The officer lets go of Lewis, and tells him "I need you to understand" that he and other officers were at the restaurant to investigate the complaint.
The officer asks Lewis to sit down and he refuses by saying, “I don’t want to sit down.” The officer pushes Lewis against the wall and tries to place him in handcuffs.
A woman can be heard on camera telling Lewis to “let them do what they are gonna do.” Three officers are seen struggling with Lewis, who said “I’m not resisting.”
READ | Judge dismisses lawsuit over fatal police shooting of man in Maserati
The video shows Lewis breaking free and the officers once again trying to restrain him. The scene descends into chaos as Lewis’ wife tries to get him to comply while the officers continue to wrestle with him.
Lewis allegedly grabbed a female officer by the neck and tried to strangle her, the Marietta Police Department previously said. An officer used a taser, and the cops got Lewis to the ground.
The struggle continued, as the officers wrestled with Lewis on the ground inside the restaurant. One officer is seen on video giving Lewis a “series of short-strike punches” while he was on the floor, Marietta police said.
Once in handcuffs, Lewis was taken outside and transported to an area hospital for evaluation. Lewis’ wife is heard asking officers, “why did y’all do that to him?” The officer responds by stating Lewis resisted arrest and allegedly “grabbed my gun,” a claim the wife and woman filming the incident deny in the video.
Lewis was originally charged with public drunk, misdemeanor obstruction, felony obstruction and aggravated assault on an officer. He was booked into the Cobb County Jail and remains held at the facility with a $5,720 bond.
The Marietta Police Department said it will investigate whether the officers’ actions were in compliance with departmental policies.
Like Cobb County News Now on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter
About the Author
