Date of Offense
Offense(s)
Official Statement
On May 10, 2025, Officer Daniel Rippeon of the Edgewater Police Department in Florida arrested 22-year-old Paul Wert, a CVS employee, shortly after his shift ended. Wert was waiting for a Lyft ride while seated on a bench outside the closed store. According to Officer Rippeon's report, Wert appeared suspicious and attempted to hide, leading to his detention and subsequent arrest for resisting an officer. However, body camera footage does not corroborate these claims, instead showing Wert calmly sitting and then attempting to leave when approached.
Wert's family has publicly contested the arrest, asserting that he was unjustly detained without cause. They have urged the Edgewater City Council to initiate an independent investigation into the incident and to request the State Attorney's Office to drop the charges against Wert. As of now, the Edgewater Police Department has not issued a public statement regarding the matter.
