Michigan Troopers Charged With Assaulting Cyclist Who Didn’t Have Lights on His Bike

On Friday, Michigan State Police announced that three troopers in Flint, Michigan, have been charged with assaulting a cyclist last August. Troopers Ryan Fitzko, Cody Lukas, and Justin Simpson were hit with assault and battery charges, while Lukas was also charged with misconduct in office, a felony, according to court records and a release by Michigan State Police. The troopers used force after stopping a “subject” they claimed did not have lights on their bicycle, according to investigative records and video released by the agency. When the cyclist started to try and bike away, he was tackled, held down by multiple police, punched, and tased, according to the records. “Are you fucking kidding me? For lights on a bike?” the victim said as he was punched in the face, according to MSP transcripts. Later, an officer laughed as he spoke about possibly breaking his knuckle on the cyclist’s forehead. “The use of excessive force by a Michigan State Police trooper against anyone is unacceptable and inexcusable,” said Col. Joe Gasper, director of the MSP, in a statement released on Friday.