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An 80-year-old Vietnam veteran suffered a heart episode after an Oilton police officer threw him to the ground on his own property. The March 9, 2024 incident was captured on body camera footage that reveals a disturbing escalation of force against a man defending his constitutional rights.
Officer Joe Beers had responded to a complaint about door-to-door solar salespeople operating without permits. By the time he located them, they were standing on the property of Willard Wallbridge, outside Oilton city limits, engaged in conversation the veteran welcomed.
The Confrontation That Crossed Constitutional Lines
Wallbridge made his position clear from the start. "You're on my place, get the hell out of here now," he told Officer Beers. When Beers attempted to force his way onto the property without a warrant, Wallbridge stood his ground, repeatedly telling the officer to leave.
The body camera captures Beers acknowledging he was on county property, outside his jurisdiction, yet continuing to escalate the situation. "I ain't stepping back nothing, you need to step back son," Wallbridge responds when Beers demands he retreat on his own land.
When Protection Becomes Aggression
Despite Wallbridge's age and the fact that he was simply exercising his Fourth Amendment rights, Officer Beers chose physical force. "Turn around, I'm taking your head off," the officer threatens before grabbing the elderly veteran.
The situation spiraled quickly. Beers side-stepped and drove Wallbridge to the ground, immediately triggering a medical emergency. "I need Nitro," Wallbridge called out, referring to his heart medication.
A Heart Attack on Camera
The body camera footage captures the chaotic moments as Wallbridge's wife rushes to provide his nitroglycerin tablets. "He's unresponsive now," someone says as the veteran struggles with what appears to be a cardiac episode.
Officer Beers can be heard calling for medical assistance while simultaneously trying to justify his actions. "This was stupid, didn't have to do this. I don't care what he was doing, he's 80 years old," he admits to another officer.
The Aftermath and Justifications
In radio conversations captured on the recording, Beers attempts to frame the incident as necessary enforcement. He claims Wallbridge was "threatening" him and "getting in his face," despite the veteran simply refusing to allow warrantless entry onto his property.
The officer's explanation to supervisors reveals the fundamental problem with his approach. He admits he knew he was on county property but believed his city investigation gave him authority to proceed without permission or legal justification.
Questions That Demand Answers
The complete body camera footage raises serious questions about use of force policies, jurisdictional authority, and the treatment of elderly citizens exercising constitutional rights. What happens next in this case, and how the department responds to an officer's admission that the confrontation "didn't have to happen," remains to be seen.
The full body camera footage reveals details that challenge official narratives and raise questions every citizen should be asking about police accountability.
