JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville man says he’s glad to be alive after he was wrongfully arrested.
Police followed Kenneth Myers to a Gate gas station on Collins Road Saturday morning.
Police said his car matched the description of a car they were looking for in a reported home invasion.
“I ended up going to jail with two misdemeanor charges, one for reckless driving and one for refusing arrest nonviolent,” Myers said.
Myers said in a Youtube video that police began following him near the Buckman Bridge, but never turned on their lights.
Myers said he stopped for gas and to use the restroom at the Gate. He says when he came out of the bathroom, he saw police with guns surrounding his vehicle.
According to police, Myers went into the bathroom and refused to come out. He was eventually taken into custody without incident, JSO said.
“I had nothing on me,” Myers said. "No weapons, no contrabands. Nothing."
Myers said police smashed out his windows looking for three other suspects, but the police report states, "the listed vehicle was found unoccupied."
“They alerted, a silver Dodge Charger, black male driver and two to three armed suspects possibly be in the car. My silver Dodge Charger just so happened to be the same model type and car color, and I’m a black male,” Myers said.
Police told Action News Jax in an email Wednesday that the home invasion was made up.
The email states in part, “The victim of the home invasion later told police he fabricated the incident and was arrested for those false accusations.”
Now days later, Myers is out of jail, trying to clear his name. A name that before this incident, had a clean criminal record.
"I was scared for my life,” Myers said.
Larry Spruill: "Are you angry?"
Myers: "No, I’m not angry, I’m thankful."
Myers said his next court date is Sept. 18. He’s hoping the charges will be dropped, but most of all, he’s simply asking for an apology.
Cox Media Group
