GASTONIA, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Gastonia Police Department and Gaston County District Attorney’s Office filed a petition for the release of Officer Maurice Taylor and Officer Cierra Brooks’ encounter with disabled veteran Joshua Rohrer on October 9 and October 13, 2021.
“Although Mr. Rohrer has a petition pending and despite several allegations in Mr. Rohrer’s petition that Officer Maurice Taylor treated him improperly on October 9, 2021, Mr. Rohrer and his attorney refused to consent to the release of the October 9 recordings,” said the department in a statement.
According to Gastonia Police, officers arrested Rohrer on October 13, 2021, and charged him with two counts of resisting a public officer, soliciting alms, and soliciting from the highway.
Court documents show that officers didn’t track down the service animal following Rohrer’s arrest, and the animal was found struck and killed by a vehicle while loose on the street two days later.
During an encounter with officers, Gastonia Police said Rohrer was arrested and officers had tasered Rohrer’s service animal, Sunshine.
Rohrer’s criminal charges were presented to a Gaston County Grand Jury on two occasions, and on each occasion, an independent grand jury found probable cause to support these charges, police said.
Gastonia Police said an arrangement was made with the District Attorney’s Office and Rohrer pled guilty to an unrelated charge of ‘driving while license revoked’ on Wednesday, July 6, 2022.
Rohrer has been sentenced to a probationary term of 24 months upon the condition that Rohrer participates in the Catawba County Veterans’ Treatment Court.
In exchange for his guilty plea and participation in the Veterans’ Treatment Court, the District Attorney’s Office has dismissed the charges stemming from Rohrer’s October 13, 2021, arrest.
“In the interest of full transparency and to expedite the release of these law enforcement recordings, the City of Gastonia and the District Attorney filed their petition today seeking an emergency hearing,” said the department.
