NFL Player Gerald Sensabaugh Arrested In Kingsport
Alternative content
NFL Player Gerald Sensabaugh Arrested In Kingsport...
Sally Simpson owns the Gun Rack in Kingsport and remembers when Jacksonville Jaguar safety Gerald Sensabaugh, a Kingsport native stopped in.
Related Links
Read the original story here.
KINGSPORT, Tenn.-Sally Simpson owns the Gun Rack in Kingsport and remembers when Jacksonville Jaguar safety Gerald Sensabaugh, a Kingsport native, stopped in.
“He wasn’t big headed, he was down to earth and was willing to talk to you, talked about his car,“ Simpson said.
That car, a 2008 black Bentley is what made Officer Amanda Lunsford suspicious when she saw it driving in downtown Kingsport.
“Police officers I think are naturally inquisitive,” said Kingsport Deputy Chief David Quillen. He said Officer Lunsford simply did her job by running the tags on the Bentley.
“It could have been an older beat up vehicle in more affluent section of town, maybe they’re lost or turned around or maybe there up to something,“ said Quillin.
When Lunsford found Sensabaugh’s license was suspended for multiple violations and failure to satisfy a citation, she made the call to arrest the Dobyns-Bennett grad.
That’s even though the car was parked.
Inside the Crew Cut Barber Shop, located at 806 E. Center Street, is where Sensabaugh sat getting his hair cut before Lunsford came inside and told him he was going to be arrested for a suspended license. She did let him finish getting his hair cut before he was taken into custody.
Although he would not go on camera Sensabaugh spoke with News Channel 11’s Kelly Cales at his house in Kingsport and told her he had no idea he had a suspended license.
Guns were found in Sensabaugh’s possession during the arrest. Sensabaugh was not charged for having a Bersa 380, an International Arms AK-47, and a Glock 22 in his cars because he had a permit.
Sensabaugh says he uses the weapons to hunt with his grandfather in Rogersville.
The folks at the Gun Rack say they are not sure if any of the guns found in Sensabaugh’s car were purchased from them.
They do say the arrest doesn’t change their opinion of him. “He’s a real nice gentleman I enjoy doing business with him,“ said Gun Rack salesman Bill Helton.
According to Sensabaugh this is his third arrest by Kingsport police.
E-MAIL:
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
Are we kidding ourselves…the police see a Bentley (the cheaper version of a Rolls Royce) in the projects and they check it out…and because the owner happens to be black we now have a race issue…that is bollocks…the police would be remiss in their duties if they did not have suspicions of wrong doing under those circumstances…if I were a cop and saw a high end auto in a government assisted housing area…I would certainly wonder what was going on…is he/she selling or buying drugs…is it prostitution…whatever…it is suspicious and we had better thank the police for investigating rather than run the race flag up the pole…I don’t care if he/she was polka dot…it warranted investigating and Voila…he was breaking the law…
Furthermore…given the new president…isn’t the race issue being a flag for Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson to wave to earn more millions while truly forsaking their people…there will never be true race equality as long as the “pot stirrers” are making a new stew.
Alea you are correct, the simple fact is he did nothing to break the law to be pulled over so she waited until he was stopped and inside to arrest him, she had no way of knowing who was driving the car just that the owner had a suspended DL. Someone in his position living in multiple places, traveling and etc could easily not get the state letter about a suspension of his DL and more than likely he had no idea. Paying a few tickets is not an issue with what he makes; I think he thought they were paid. When the state suspends your DL due to not paying a citation or multiple tickets they mail you a letter to tell you. So you could easily not know. I hope he gets the tickets and DL stuff cleared up and maybe take a driving course to knock off some points and then the judge will probably dismiss this. There was no ill intent, he was going for a haircut and supporting the local economy. I am glad he comes home and not spending all his time and money in Florida.
So, from my understanding, Mr. Sensabaugh wasn’t doing anything to attract the attention of a police officer to prompt him to run the plates of the car. I don’t see how the type of car a person drives amounts to reasonable suspicion. And I also don’t understand why the guns Mr. Sensabaugh legally was carrying was even mentioned. Obviously, he was breaking the law by driving at all, but unless a person does something illegal at that time they shouldn’t be harassed by the police.
Advertisement