The director of Wayne County, Michigan’s parks division, Alicia Bradford, was suspended with out pay after the Oakland County Prosecutor’s workplace charged her and her husband, Larry Bradford, with assault with a harmful weapon and felony firearm. The fees stem from a fuel station brawl involving Bradford’s husband simply after midnight on New 12 months’s Day over a can of Mountain Dew.
Larry and Alicia Bradford kicked off 2025 with a go to to the BP fuel station in Farmington Hills, Michigan, shortly after midnight on New 12 months’s Day, proving that Occasions Sq. wasn’t the one place the ball would drop that night. Surveillance video reveals Larry Bradford on the counter contained in the station’s comfort retailer attempting to purchase a can of Mountain Dew however protesting over being charged tax on groceries when, actually, it was the state-mandated 10-cent bottle deposit price the clerk was charging.
Overhearing Bradford’s argument with the clerk, the one different buyer within the retailer, ready in line behind him, determined to chime in, mentioning that the clerk was appropriate and that he had the “proof proper there on the receipt.”
Bradford, nevertheless, having his toes firmly planted within the “no tax on groceries” argument, responds to the client, “Give up saying that, man,” adopted up with, “It ain’t none of your online business.”
The shopper, annoyed by Bradford’s lack of comprehension and certain eager to pay for his objects and transfer on together with his night, responded by telling him, “Nicely then, get the f**ok out, man.”
The scenario escalates as Bradford raises his voice, asking, “Who the f**ok is you speaking to?” prompting the client to return an amplified “You!” With fists clenched at his facet.
“Larry then engages in the direction of and pushes (the client) in his throat together with his left hand twice … A bodily battle ensued. They’re each seen pushing and pulling one another into merchandise racks, knocking numerous merchandise onto the ground as they battle,” wrote a Farmington Hills police officer in his report.
Within the surveillance video, Bradford is seen utilizing the can of Mountain Dew to strike the client as he thrashes him backwards and forwards, knocking over shows and merchandise within the retailer whereas stripping the client of his shirt by pulling it over his head.
At this level, Larry heads to the door, saying, “Let me get my pistol,” and is shoved out by the client, who turns again to the clerk, apologizing for the mess. That’s when Larry could be heard exterior yelling thrice, “Give me my pistol!” presumably chatting with his spouse because the buyer remained inside rummaging by way of the mess for his glasses, apologizing once more to the clerk who was on the cellphone with authorities, and asking if he ought to wait there.
A number of moments later, Larry returns to the comfort retailer, pointing a 9mm handgun on the buyer whereas instructing him to get on his knees and apologize. The shopper complies, getting down on his knees together with his fingers up. As he apologizes, Larry strikes him within the head whereas holding him at gunpoint. Understandably in concern, the client stays apologetic whereas Larry tells him, “I ought to kill you. I ought to f*****g blow your f*****g brains out.”
Moments later, Alicia Bradford is seen coming into the shop and pointing her personal 9mm handgun on the buyer, demanding to know what occurred. The shopper responds by calmly telling her he’s standing up as Alicia extends the pistol and tells him, “No, you gonna keep down there.”
Along with the shop clerk, Alicia Bradford known as the Farmington Hills police. Nonetheless, she discovered herself and her husband underneath arrest when authorities arrived on the scene. Apparently, initiating a bodily confrontation adopted by making the sufferer get on his knees and apologize at gunpoint is in opposition to the regulation. Who knew?
After the Oakland County prosecutor charged the couple with assault with a harmful weapon and felony firearm, Wayne County Government Warren Evans suspended Bradford from her $146,000 per 12 months place with out pay, prompting me to repeat that the incident unfolded over a 10-cent state-mandated bottle deposit price.
Chair of the Wayne County Fee, Alisha Bell, appeared shocked to be taught in regards to the fees, despite the fact that Bradford was suspended for 15 days in 2019 for granting greater than $10,000 in county contracts to her stepdaughter.
“That is very uncharacteristic of the Alicia I do know … She’s all the time been very skilled and a tough employee in our parks division,” mentioned Bell.
Uh-huh. Positive…
You’ll be able to’t make this up, women and gents. The video in its entirety is on-line, and I anxiously await seeing what, if any, protection for his or her actions the Bradfords attempt to current. The unchecked feeling of entitlement displayed by these two is sickening and can solely worsen if they aren’t correctly convicted and sentenced. In fact, in the event that they aren’t, the individuals of Michigan will know slightly extra about corruption of their state, and Larry won’t ever discover ways to correctly do the dew. Amongst all that’s offensive on this story, I’d like so as to add that the can of Mountain Dew was $1.99 earlier than the 10-cent bottle deposit price. $1.99! That must be a criminal offense as effectively.
