Police Captain Arrests Photographer At Accident Scene

You decide. Is photographer Carter Rabil (right) doing anything wrong when he was arrested by Police Captain Bruce Gentry on Thursday? Captain Gentry claimed the photographer was disorderly and resisting a police officer. Rabil was behind police crime scene tape when he was handcuffed. Rabil was later released from custody under a $5,000 bond. WMPM Photo.

A Smithfield police captain is accused of overstepping his authority during the arrest of a photographer at the scene of Thursday’s fatal accident on Highway 70 in Smithfield . Mitchell Carter Rabil, an independent photographer, was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting a police officer. Rabil, and WMPM News Director Mickey Lamm were at the accident site taking pictures when Captain Bruce Gentry reportedly asked Rabil to “step back out of the immediate area,” according to Police Chief Steve Gillikin. At the time, police had not placed any crime scene tape at the scene, and were actually asking the media to stand farther away from the accident than the general public and bystanders, according to Lamm. “After Carter moved behind the crime scene tape that was erected, Captain Gentry continued to harass him,” Lamm said. Captain Gentry summoned Lt. Ryan Sheppard over and the two officers arrested Rabil. During the arrest by the two officers, Captain Gentry reportedly threatened to taser Rabil unless he dropped his camera equipment. This is not the first run in between Captain Gentry and the media, nor is this the first time Rabil has been accused by police of overstepping his bounds. Lamm said Smithfield police officers have attempted to hamper him at two other scenes this month alone. Rabil later posted a $5,000 unsecured bond and was released pending a May 24 court date. Rabil does independent photography work for 1270wmpm.com and other local media outlets, but was not covering the story for WMPM on Thursday when the incident occurred.