People nationwide have seen video of a Hamersville man being dragged to the pavement on State Route 125 and being beaten by a Hamersville Police Officer.

The incident was recorded on a cell phone by a family member and posted on Facebook. It was quickly shared thousands of times and ended up on at least one Cincinnati television station. It was also featured on the entertainment website “TMZ.”

The man was later identified as Robert Hampton and the Hamersville Officer as Mark Echler.

The incident is now under investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation at the request of Brown County Prosecutor Zac Corbin and Brown County Sheriff Gordon Ellis.

Hamersville Police Chief Guy Sutton fully supports the outside investigation into the incident, saying that Corbin and Ellis “beat him by an hour” in making the request.

According to information provided by Sutton, the incident began on December 7, when Constance Beavers was pulled over by Hamersville Police for excessive window tint. Beavers was found to have a suspended drivers license.

At this point, Tammy Hampton, who is described by Sutton as “a person not directly involved in the traffic stop” arrived at the scene and “interjected herself into the traffic stop, becoming disorderly and causing officer safety issues.”

In a press release, Sutton continued to describe how the incident unfolded.

“Police officers told her to return to her car and they would talk to her after completing the traffic stop. Ms. Hampton refused and obstructed the Officer’s ability to complete his duties and compromised officer and public safety. She was placed under arrest for her actions.”

While officers were engaged with Tammy Hampton, her husband Robert arrived on the scene.

“Hampton approach(ed) officers in an aggressive manner shouting obscenities and refusing instruction by officers to return to his vehicle. He was advised by officers he would be placed under arrest if he continued his actions. He was placed under arrest, resisted the officer and a scuffle ensued, the officer gained physical control using striking blows,” Sutton wrote.

Sutton added that “Mr. Hampton was examined by EMT’s for any injuries. No injuries noted.”

Sutton also revealed that Officer Echler received minor injuries to his hand and face.

The press statement concludes with Sutton writing that “video appearing on several websites does not reflect the entire incident.”

Sutton said that Echler has been with the Hamersville Police Department since January of this year and that he graduated from the OPATA police academy in 2018.

The other Hamersville Police Officer on the scene was Cpl. Matt Clark, who has been with the Hamersville Police Department for four years.

Sutton said that Echler and Clark both followed recommended federal standards for use of force and acted within proper procedure during the incident.

Attorney Bruce Wallace represents the Hamptons.

“I will be representing them on the criminal cases and a potential civil suit,” said Wallace.

“I am very happy that the sheriff’s office and prosecutor’s office have requested an investigation by BCI. That is exactly what my clients wanted to hear, that someone outside the Hamersville Police Department is looking into how this got so out of hand.”

Wallace described how his client ended up in the situation.

“She was just doing a good deed. One of the passengers had called her and told her she needed to come up and get the car. She approached the police, asking a legitimate, understandable question about getting the car. She was not received well by the police.”

Wallace said that one of the witnesses saw what was happening to Tammy Hampton and called her husband.

“Robert Hampton is a 65 year old man, three weeks removed from heart surgery. He comes up and sees that his wife is handcuffed and there are two Hamersville Police Officers who, in his opinion, are being physically abusive toward her, trying to force her into the backseat of the vehicle. He describes them kicking her and elbowing her. So he does what any other husband in America would do. He approached them and said ‘Get your hands off my wife.’”

Wallace said the video picked up the incident from there.

“The video speaks for itself. Taking roundhouse punches at a 65 year old man that’s on the pavement.”

Wallace also disputes the assertion by Sutton that Mr. Hampton was not injured.

“Mr. Hampton spent the night in the hospital. He has a shoulder injury, bruises on his face, an extremely swollen elbow and bruises on his ribs, and perhaps even has a cracked rib.”

Wallace maintains that his clients did not break the law.

“They did nothing that violates any criminal statute. This was a case of severe overreaction by the officers of the Hamersville Police Department.”

Wallace also wanted to make clear that the Hampton’s did not have anything to do with generating the attention that the video is getting.

“This did not get to social media on the part of my clients or myself. There were a lot of people around and everybody has a cell phone these days.”

Misdemeanor charges were filed against both Robert and Tammy Hampton on Dec. 14 in Brown County Municipal Court.

Robert Hampton is charged with Obstructing Official Business and Resisting Arrest, both second degree misdemeanors. He is also charged with Disorderly Conduct and Misconduct at an Emergency, both fourth degree misdemeanors.

Tammy Hampton is charged with Obstructing Official Business and Resisting Arrest and Disorderly Conduct.

At press time, no court date for either Tammy or Robert Hampton had been set.