Drunken deputy pulls gun on men in profanity-laced confrontation

An off-duty Palm Beach County, FL, sheriff’s deputy faces four criminal charges after a cellphone video surfaced of him cursing at three men while displaying his badge and gun, and allegedly impaired by alcohol. Jerald Alderman appeared in handcuffs Friday before Circuit Judge Ted Booras, after his arrest a day earlier over the 3 a.m. Oct. 12 confrontation in downtown West Palm Beach. An arrest report states that along with the video, a city police officer observed Alderman, 54, banging on the trunk of the men’s car ...

“At approximately 15 seconds into the video, Alderman reaches back, with his right hand, and draws a semi-automatic pistol from his waistband and points it at the driver’s door of the vehicle,” while yelling obscenities and repeatedly ordering the men to drive away, the report says. Two officers who spoke with Alderman after the incident “immediately smelled the strong odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from the face and person.”

Bens and his friends claim they were cruising around downtown before deciding to pull into a parking lot at 300 Banyan Blvd. They said Alderman then approached them and threatened them at gunpoint before the video started. “He put his gun to my face and said, ‘I would shoot all three of you,’” Bens said.

The judge agreed to a $40,000 bond for the road patrol deputy charged with three felony counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, and a misdemeanor offense of using a firearm while under the influence. Judge Booras said the bond conditions, which include orders that Alderman not possess any weapons, illegal drugs, alcohol or contact with the men should “protect the community and protect the individuals involved here, the victims.” Because of the charges, Alderman was placed on paid administrative leave.

Concerning the charges against Alderman, sheriff’s spokeswoman Barbera, said, “Unfortunately sometimes an employee makes a bad decision which leads to misconduct.”

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-ne-deputy-arrested-threat-20191018-b6a2pjl2crallmgxuezdqeevte-story.html