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Deputy investigated for an off-duty arrest
By Times Staff Writer
Published May 6, 2005
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has begun an internal investigation of the arrest made by an off-duty deputy of a 57-year-old Holiday man after the two got into a struggle outside a restaurant.
Cpl. James Jeffrey Fresh ate with his family at Snookers Grill in Tarpon Springs on April 16 before he and Robert Singleton began arguing, according to sheriff's reports.
After a brief scuffle in the parking lot, Fresh identified himself as a deputy and told Singleton he was under arrest.
As detailed in a St. Petersburg Times story on Sunday, Fresh, 35, accused Singleton of reaching into his BMW convertible to grab him by the neck. Singleton says Fresh grabbed him first, and he only touched Fresh to push away.
After sheriff's deputies investigated, Singleton went to jail on charges of battery, a misdemeanor, and burglary, a felony. The second charge stemmed from Fresh's allegation that Singleton reached inside the car to grab him.
Agency spokesman Sgt. Jim Bordner said last week that Fresh's actions were not under investigation, but on Thursday Bordner confirmed that an internal investigation had begun.
"There's an open investigation on that matter," he said. "That's about all I can really comment on based on Florida law."
[Last modified May 6, 2005, 00:37:10]
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