Philadelphia Mayor's Office staffer, spouse arrested on Schuylkill Expressway
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A controversial encounter with a Pennsylvania State Trooper was captured on camera on the Schuylkill Expressway Saturday morning.
Celena Morrison, the executive director of the Mayor's Office of LGBT Affairs, and their spouse, Darius McLean were arrested during a traffic stop on the Schuylkill Expressway just after 9 a.m.
The incident began after a State Trooper pulled over a grey Infiniti sedan for "multiple vehicle code violations," PSP said in a news release. Before getting to speak to the driver, a green Dodge sedan pulled behind the patrol car. The trooper went up to the Dodge and the driver "became verbally combative toward the trooper," according to PSP.
State police said after the Dodge driver refused lawful orders made by the trooper, he attempted to place them under arrest. The Dodge driver refused arrest on multiple occasions, PSP said, leading the driver of the Infiniti to interject.
State police said both drivers were arrested for resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, disorderly conduct and other related charges.
However, the PSP release omits the names of both people arrested.
The William Way LGBT Community Center identified the person on the ground being handcuffed in the photo above as McLean.
Mayor Cherelle Parker released the following statement on X in response to the video that is gaining traction on social media.
"Earlier today, a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper executed a car stop on the Vine Street Expressway in Philadelphia, reportedly for a Motor Vehicle Code violation. Celena Morrison, the City's executive director of the Office of LGBT Affairs, was in the vehicle that was stopped. A video circulating on social media that depicts a portion of the incident is very concerning to me, and I will have no further comment until the investigation has been completed."
Councilmember Rue Landau, Philadelphia's first openly LGBTQ+ city councilmember, released the following statement in response to the arrests.
A statement from Councilmember Rue Landau concerning the interaction between State police and City Office of LGBT Affairs Executive Director, Celena Morrison and her husband.
Posted by Rue Landau on Saturday, March 2, 2024