Indiana congressional candidate arrested after traffic stop for - wave3.com-Louisville News, Weather & Sports

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - The Libertarian candidate for the US House of Representatives from Indiana's ninth district denies making a rude gesture at a police officer before a traffic stop in Louisville which led to his arrest for charges including an improper signal "using the middle finger."

Russell Brooksbank, 45, is also charged with obstruction and third-degree assault of an officer after an alleged struggle over his phone.

An arrest report alleges Brooksbank was waiting to turn from a gas station parking lot onto National Turnpike shortly before 10:40 a.m. Friday when he made eye contact with a passing Kentucky State Trooper and made the "signal."

Greg Hertzsch, campaign manager for Brooksbank, says the candidate denies making any inappropriate gesture.

When the officer tried to pull him over, Brooksbank stopped in the right lane of National Turnpike, the arrest report says.

Hertzsch says Brooksbank took out his phone to record the traffic stop. The arrest report says Brooksbank ignored several requests to retrieve his ID, insurance and registration, so the officer tried to take the phone from him. 

The report says Brooksbank then grabbed the officer's arm and started pulling him in though the driver's side window. The officer then grabbed Brooksbank and started pulling him out of the vehicle, ripping Brooksbank's shirt. The officer was finally able to open the door and pull Brooksbank out, the report says.

Brooksbank's campaign manager says the candidate was well within his rights to record the stop and he did nothing wrong.

Brooksbank is being held at Louisville Metro Corrections.He is scheduled to be arraigned on Saturday.

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