Lewes officer Tyrone Woodyard vindicated in excessive force allegation
An elderly man who accused a Lewes police officer of using excessive force during his arrest in Beebe Healthcare’s emergency room has been found guilty of menacing and other charges.
Robaire Lizama, 66, of Lewes appeared before Judge Rosemary Beauregard in the Sussex County Court of Common Pleas June 6, where he detailed the situation as he remembered it. Beauregard also heard testimony from Lewes Patrolman First Class Tyrone Woodyard and two Beebe Healthcare employees before rendering her decision.
Lizama, who was represented by public defender Heather Lingo, received a 30-day suspended jail term, six months of court-monitored probation, a $600 fine, and he is required to pay $57 in court reimbursement costs.
The incident occurred Jan. 26, when Lizama says he accompanied to the hospital a friend who was experiencing chest pains. During an interview in February, Lizama said he may have been hysterical given the seriousness of the situation.
He says a nurse asked him to leave the room, so he took a seat in the hallway. The nurse then came out and told him he had to wait in the waiting room. As he was being escorted out to the waiting room by a Beebe security officer and Woodyard, he said he turned around to ask a question and was thrown to the floor. In his official report, Woodyard stated that Lizama lunged at him in an aggressive manner. Woodyard also said Lizama resisted when he was trying to apply handcuffs. Lizama suffered a cut above his right eye.
Lizama was charged with menacing, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Shortly after the incident, Lizama filed a complaint with Lewes Police Chief Tom Spell, alleging Woodyard targeted him because of his sexual orientation. The department conducted an extensive investigation into the claim, and Spell determined March 1 that Lizama’s allegation was unfounded.
“No witnesses interviewed heard or saw any behavior that corroborated Lizama’s complaint, and the investigation determined that PFC Woodyard had no knowledge of Lizama’s sexual orientation when the arrest occurred,” Spell said in a press release.
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and handling page layout, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
