OPELOUSAS, LA - — An Opelousas Police Officer is on leave Thursday after he was arrested in connection with an assault on a juvenile.
Opelousas Police confirmed to KATC that Officer Dexter Allen Washington was booked with one count felony cruelty to juveniles in connection with an incident that happened on Hibiscus Street last week.
Police say they were called to the home around 5:30 p.m. on May 29. They went to the home and found a juvenile who said he had a fight with Washington, who was off-duty at the time.
Washington is accused of confronting and physically assaulting the juvenile by grabbing him and shoving him against a wall, then slamming him to the ground.
Investigators reviewed the injuries on the juvenile and found neck and chest trauma, a spokesman said. They also determined that Washington didn't report the incident and acted outside his duties as a police officer.
An arrest warrant was obtained for Washington on the cruelty to a juvenile charge, and he was arrested and placed on administrative leave.
