Colorado man in custody for threatening to kill Broward deputy who head-slammed teen
A man in Colorado is in custody after the Broward Sheriff’s Office says he threatened to kill the deputy who was caught on video last week slamming a black high school student’s head into the ground.
According to a warrant filed Wednesday in Broward Circuit Court, Justin Vick wrote “a threat to kill or to do bodily injury to Deputy Christopher Krickovich.” It’s not clear where or how Vick, who was in custody in an Adams County jail Friday awaiting extradition to South Florida, posted the threat.
A warrant issued by Judge Michael Usan makes clear that a BSO detective was aware of the threat by Vick, 24, as early as Monday following a weekend of social media outrage over a rough arrest of a high school freshman by several deputies in Tamarac.
Krickovich was suspended earlier this week as investigators probe his arrest of J.P. Taravella High School student DeLucca Rolle, 15.
Rolle and dozens of other Taravella students had gathered at a McDonald’s near the high school on April 18 to watch a fight, which drew the attention of Krickovich and two other deputies who were in the area because a fight had broken out nearby the previous day.
A cellphone video taken by one of the students captured Krickovich pepper-spraying Lucca, as he’s known to friends and family, as he appeared to move toward the deputy. A deputy then tackled Lucca to the ground and smashed his head into the parking lot pavement twice, before punching him in the side of his head. Lucca’s mother said her son suffered a broken nose.
Krickovich said he took Rolle into custody because he felt threatened by the gathering crowd and feared someone would grab a weapon.
The video has been viewed millions of times on social media sites, with celebrity athletes like NBA superstar LeBron James weighing in on the rough arrest. The teen was initially charged with assaulting a police officer and obstruction without violence. Those charges were dropped after Broward State Attorney Michael Satz viewed the video.
In the ensuing days, the teen’s family hired prominent civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, and black leadership throughout Broward expressed anger and frustration over the teen’s arrest and rough handling by Krickovich. Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony has promised a thorough investigation, and union leaders representing Krickovich have offered support, saying his use of force was within department policy guidelines.
On Wednesday, Tony warned that calls for Krickovich’s firing by local politicians and activists could stoke an already tense situation.
An employee at the Adams County Sheriff’s Office east of Denver confirmed that Justin Vick was in custody with an extradition order for “written threats to kill.” The employee, who didn’t give her name, said she was unaware of any more details or of what entity requested the extradition.
This story was originally published April 26, 2019 at 5:46 PM.