Memphis police officer arrested after incident with axe and security officer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. March 14 2019– An off-duty MPD officer was arrested after an incident involving a woman and a security guard outside a Memphis restaurant.
Memphis police said Dartelle Joyner, 34, was involved in an “altercation with an unknown female” inside the Happy Mexican restaurant on Primacy Parkway on March 7.
According to MPD, when the security guard tried to intervene, the woman left the restaurant – followed by Joyner.
Police said Joyner then retrieved an axe from his car and “began to twirl it in the air.” The security guard requested Joyner to drop the axe, and he did.
Joyner was taken into custody without incident. The woman who left the scene has not been located at this point.
Joyner has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation. He has been employed by MPD since October 2010.
Joyner was charged of disorderly conduct and public intoxication.
On Monday, prosecutors decided not to pursue the case and only charge Joyner with court costs totaling $161.
