MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – One of the officers involved in the detainment of Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill outside Hard Rock Stadium had two prior use of force complaints made against him since he got hired by the Miami-Dade Police Department in 2019, Local 10 News learned Tuesday.
Local 10 obtained the employee profile Tuesday for Officer Manuel Batista, who issued Hill two traffic citations during the Sept. 8 incident after pulling him over for speeding.
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According to his employee profile, Batista was hired by the department on Oct. 7, 2019.
A use of force complaint was filed against him for an incident on May 18, 2021 in which he was accused of pushing or pulling on someone’s hands/arm.
Another complaint was filed for an incident from March 12, 2022 in which a subject sustained injuries, including a bruise/abrasion to the left wrist, a cut to the arm and injuries to the ribs.
The report states he was also accused a couple times of “improper procedure” regarding his body-worn camera.
The employee profile also lists several commendations, including for dedication to duty, not taking any sick leave and having an excellent driving record with no county vehicle crashes.
The game day incident started about three hours before kickoff when two motorcycle officers were parked on an access road south of the stadium and saw Hill speed past in his McLaren sports car.
The officers immediately conducted a traffic stop. Police later confirmed that Hill was traveling 60 mph.
Bodycam footage released by MDPD shows Batista telling Hill to keep the window of his car down after he was pulled over.
“Don’t tell me what to do” Hill tells Batista before he again put the window up.
“Keep the window down or I am going to get you out of the car. As a matter of fact, get out of the car,” the officer said.
Another officer, Daniel Torres, who is a 27-year veteran of MDPD and was standing to the side, then ordered Hill to get out, telling him that if he didn’t “I am going to break that (expletive) window.”
Torres then pulled the door open, grabbed Hill by the arm and the back of the neck and forced him face-first onto the ground as the player said, “I am getting out.”
Torres, Batista and a third officer then pinned Hill, pulled his arms behind him and handcuffed him. One officer put his knee into Hill’s back. It had been exactly one minute since the officer first tapped on Hill’s window.
Hill yelled into his cellphone, “I am being arrested, Drew!” He had placed a call to team security director Drew Brooks while still in the car.
Torres told Hill that he is going to obey their orders, again cursing at him. Hill told them, “take me to jail, do what you gotta do.”
“We will,” Torres replied.
Hill was eventually released after receiving citations for careless driving and failing to wear his seat belt — the total fine was $309.
Local 10 previously obtained the employee profile for Torres, which showed that he has had multiple reprimands and suspensions during his career with MDPD.
He’s now on administrative duty following the incident, and Hill has called for his termination.
An internal affairs investigation into the incident remains ongoing.