Coonrod’s friend speaks out after traffic stop footage released

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Chattanooga Councilwoman Demetrius Coonrod’s friend is speaking out after a video was released of the pair being pulled over during a traffic stop back in June.

Anthony Gladden explains he is upset with the footage.

“I was driving without a license, I admit to that. Now I’m wrong, I’m wrong, but let’s keep it about if it’s about wrong and right, let’s keep it wrong and right,” Gladden explains.

Anthony Gladden says he was driving Councilwoman Demtrius Coonrod when they were pulled over by police because she had taken medication.

Gladden says they were pulled over for an expired tag.

During the stop Gladden was cited for driving without a license, no registration or proof of insurance.

“The officer clearly told us that we could find our insurance declaration online cause she didn’t have it physically in her presence,” Gladden says.

After the citations were written up the Councilwoman told police she was going to call the Police Chief, as shown in body camera footage.

Gladden says Coonrod was not wrong to that.

“If you told me as a citizen that I can pull my information up, and you were giving me time to do so, and then you go back to your car and come back and say well you didn’t flag me down. You’ve gone away from what you initially told me I could do. So you have removed all of that level of trust that I have for you. So yes, if I was in her shoes I probably would’ve said the same thing because obviously you are not following what you said about the officer you’re not doing what you said. You’re not allowing me as a citizen to pull up my information,” Gladden adds.

Gladden says he’s also upset with how people are reacting to the video.

“I look at Facebook posts and where I’m at with it, I was the one driving. I was the one driving. She was just riding, like i say, she didn’t know my license was suspended. I didn’t know my license was suspended. So if you’re going to post something or make a comment about something, make it about me,” Gladden says.