Bicyclist arrested by Fort Lauderdale police calls takedown excessive

Police say Dan Littell taunted officers, placed others in harm

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Have you seen it?

The YouTube video of a Fort Lauderdale police officer tackling a bicyclist during a critical mass event has gone viral.

Police said Dan Littell was violating traffic laws, refusing to pull over and blocking a patrol car with his bicycle before saluting officers with his middle finger. He's now facing several charges to include resisting without violence.

The accountant from Fort Lauderdale claims he was trying to slow down the rate of speed of passing officers and said the arresting officer used excessive force.

Here's what the person who posted the video on YouTube had to say about the incident:

"I was the individual who taped this incident. It is unfortunate that this cop brought him down the way he did, but Dan Littell (biker that gets tackled) did not obey police instructions to stop and pull over for about a mile. He kept riding and eluding the police. Although the way that the cop brought Mr. Littell down seems totally unnecessary, he brought that upon himself. We kept screaming at Mr. Littell "Just stop and pull over!!!" But he was in such an adrenaline rush that for some reason believed he could outrun the boys in blue. Walking, biking or driving, if a cop says pull over you pull over … or else!!!! Good Luck Dan."

Police also claim Littell was taunting officers while placing other bicyclists in harm's way.

"At times the defendant would motion as if he was going to move out of the way and would then swerve back in the lane in an attempt to get me to strike with my patrol vehicle," the arrest report said. "The defendant then said 'go ahead and hit me.'"

Littell told Local 10 he is seeking legal consultation before filing a formal complaint with the police department.