Nassau County deputy fired after arrest

A Nassau County sheriff’s deputy is out of a job and under arrest.

Dale Hutcherson was arrested on Nov. 7 after investigators determined he used a level of force that was “unnecessary and unjustified” during a phone call in Callahan.

The incident happened in August. Investigators said then-Deputy Hutcherson encountered an intoxicated man lying in the road near US 1 and Ratliff Road. While pulling the man from the road, investigators said Hutcherson wrote in his report that the man became combative. Hutcherson reported that the man tried to break free from his grasp, so he made a leg movement to knock the man down.

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According to an arrest warrant, his story was concluded through a review of Hutcherson’s body-worn camera video. The images showed the man walking away to another officer who tried to take the man to safety.

An internal audit of the use of force found that Hutcherson’s treatment of the man was unnecessary and that he lied in his report.

As a result, Hutcherson was fired and arrested on charges of assault and official misconduct.

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“We are extremely disappointed to have to arrest one of our own deputies, but we have a duty to hold all of our employees accountable when they break the law and betray the public trust,” Sheriff Bill Leeper said in a news release. “This type of behavior is unacceptable and goes against everything we stand for at the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office. We have strict policies and training regarding the use of force, and we expect all of our deputies to follow these guidelines without exception.”

Hutcherson worked with the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office for approximately two years before this incident.

This isn’t the first time Hutcherson has made news.

In January, Action News Jax told you when Hutcherson delivered a DoorDash order after arresting the driver on charges of driving under the influence.

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