Pregnant woman’s arrest draws attention to Palm Bay officer’s history of using force

Palm Bay, FL - An officer broke a car window and then took a pregnant woman to the ground after she drove away from a traffic stop in Brevard County.

A former deputy chief told the Palm Bay City Council Thursday night that the use of force was excessive.

“It was Officer Sean Rollins, as seen on video, choking, striking, a handcuffed, pregnant black female,” Lance Fisher said.

In June, the arrest report of Tamara Hatcher reads that she was pulled over for driving without insurance, but she refused to get out of the car.

Then, Officer Sean Rollins used his baton to break her window, but Hatcher drove away.

The report said she was speeding and driving on the wrong side of the road to pass other cars.

Hatcher’s boyfriend, Courtney Newton, told Palm Bay Community Correspondent James Sparvero that the expectant mother was afraid.

“He bust the window out. She got scared and drove off,” Newton said.

Hatcher’s boyfriend said she drove home, but Officer Rollins caught up to her and put his hands on her.

The police report reads that Hatcher continued resisting.

“Kicked in the door, slammed her to the ground, putting his thumb into her throat and hitting her,” Newton said.

He said his 17-year-old son watched the takedown.

“He’s yelling and screaming, she’s pregnant.”

Rollins has been involved in other force incidents in his career.

In 2021, the Associated Press reported the officer was fired from the Columbia Police Department in South Carolina after using force on at least eight people within five months.

Then, in 2023, Rollins got in trouble working at the Mascotte Police Department.

A lawsuit filed in Lake County in April alleges Officer Rollins tasered a man while falsely accusing him of resisting arrest.

“Just finding out all the stuff that he has done, it’s like, why does he still work as a police officer?” Newton said. “That’s kinda scary.”

Palm Bay police didn’t want to be interviewed for this story, but police told Sparvero the department reviewed Rollins’ action and found his use of force was justified.