Tense traffic stop results in felony indictment

11/8/2018

THE BLADE

Ryin Douglas-Reed in Toledo Municipal Court in July.

A Toledo man whose tense traffic stop last summer drew community criticism after an upset bystander streamed it on Facebook Live, has been indicted on two felony charges by a Lucas County grand jury.

Ryin Douglas-Reed, 28, of the 900 block of Lindsay Avenue, was indicted Thursday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court on charges of improperly handling of firearms in a motor vehicle and carrying a concealed weapon.

On July 12, Toledo police officers flooded the 600 block of North Detroit Avenue during a tense traffic stop that brought nearly 20 residents from their homes, visibly upset with the incident, according to a Facebook Live video streamed by a bystander who, at the time, accused police of racial profiling.

Police initiated a traffic stop at about 6:20 p.m. on a vehicle driven by Douglas-Reed for a stop sign violation and improper display of license plates. The violation occurred at Detroit Avenue and Vance Street, police said.

Douglas-Reed pulled into a private driveway. Police said he was argumentative and refused an officer’s orders to leave his vehicle. An officer pulled him from the vehicle and he began resisting, police said, adding he also refused orders to get on the ground.

Once taken into custody, police located a loaded firearm inside the center console, according to court documents.

Additional officers were called after a crowd formed near the site. Police said it was for the officers’ and citizens’ safety.

Earlier that day, the officers involved in the stop executed a narcotics warrant in the 1500 block of Vance Street, where Douglas-Reed’s driving violation allegedly occurred. After that task, they were patrolling nearby areas affected by recent gun violence.

Douglas-Reed was booked Thursday in the Lucas County jail pending his next court appearance, which has not been scheduled, said the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office.

In an unrelated matter, he was indicted Aug. 23 by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl between March and August.