Brookline police Lt. Duane Arthur Danforth (via Orange County Jail), inset, was arrested after allegedly pushing a police officer at Disney World’s Epcot (seen here on Dec. 23, 2017/Phelan M. Ebenhack via AP). Danforth allegedly said, “I’m going to kill you.”
A detective from Massachusetts was arrested after getting into a scuffle with a fellow police officer while he was at Disney World in Florida, an arrest affidavit said.
Brookline police Lt. Duane Arthur Danforth faces charges of battery, battery on law enforcement officer and resisting without violence.
It happened on Jan. 30 in Epcot’s UK Lochside behind the Fish and Chips stand. An employee told deputies he was working a private event when Danforth tried to enter the cordoned-off area. The employee told Danforth that he had to go around. But Danforth began removing the ropes and became angry when the employee told him he wasn’t allowed in the area, according to the affidavit.
Danforth allegedly said, “I’m going to f—— kill you,” to the employee twice before pushing two employees aside and walking into the restricted area. Other guests took video of the incident. Disney security called in Orange County Sheriff’s deputies working at the park to help. Security personnel pointed Danforth out to deputies.
“As I attempted to make contact with Duane, I asked him to do me a favor, and that is when Duane intentionally struck me by pushing me away with his hands as I tried to communicate with him,” Deputy Gilberto Arce wrote in the affidavit.
Deputies took Danforth to the ground and put him in handcuffs. Danforth began to resist, but deputies told him to stop, and he was taken into custody, the affidavit said.
He admitted pushing the deputy and said he should not have done so. Danforth was taken to the hospital for minor injuries and then brought to the Orange County Jail. He has since posted a $2,050 bond. As part of his release, Danforth was allowed to return to Massachusetts but cannot possess weapons.
Brookline Police Chief Jennifer Paster said in a statement that she placed Danforth on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation into the incident.
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