'Dreadhead Cowboy' arrested in Hammond, accused of elbowing officer
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man known as the "Dreadhead Cowboy" was arrested last week in Hammond, Indiana, after police say he struck an officer who tried to stop him from illegally riding a horse within the city limits.
Hammond police said, on Thursday, 36-year-old Adam Hollingsworth was spotted riding a horse down the street in the 7000 block of Indianapolis Boulevard, in violation of city ordinance.
After police officers repeatedly told Hollingsworth it was illegal to have or ride a horse within city limits in Hammond, Hollingsworth tried to get back on the horse, and officers tried to stop him, police said.
"At this point, Mr. Hollingsworth threw an elbow, striking one of the police officers," police said in a statement.
Hollingsworth was arrested and charged with battery on a police officer, resisting law enforcement, and disorderly conduct.
Tuesday morning, Hollingsworth posted video on Facebook that he says contradicts the police account of his arrest.
"If I'm not under arrest then u shouldn't touch me and on top of that u gone lie," Hollingsworth wrote.
The video starts with an officer telling someone off camera about the arrest.
"He said I'm going to ride it right now. Then he goes and unleashes the hook that he has. Well, we already told you that you can't do that, so now we have to physically detain you," the officer said.
"That's when he turned around and hit me like that with his elbow on my forearm, and then right around here," the officer added, pointing to his shoulder. "So once you touch me in an aggressive way, you're getting arrested. That's battery."
The footage then shows the confrontation between Hollingsworth and the same officer, with Hollingsworth saying, "are you touching me? Quit touching me. Don't touch me," as the officer grasps Hollingsworth's upper arm from behind him.
The video then shows in slow motion as Hollingsworth spins around toward the officer, although it's unclear from the video if Hollingsworth's elbow makes contact with the officer's arm.
Hollingsworth also was arrested in 2020 and charged with felony aggravated animal cruelty, after he rode a horse for several miles down the Dan Ryan Expressway.
Illinois State Police said Hollingsworth got on the southbound Dan Ryan at 35th Street on Sept. 21, 2020. Troopers told him several times to get off the expressway, but he refused. Instead, he rode all the way to 95th Street, where he was escorted off.
Prosecutors said officers pursued Hollingsworth until the horse collapsed onto the pavement at 95th Street and Lafayette Avenue.
Prosecutors said the horse was not equipped with shoes for the hard pavement, which caused severe bleeding and damage to the animal's health. Initially, prosecutors said they expected the horse would have to be euthanized, but then Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot later said the horse was expected to make a recovery.
Hollingsworth pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to one year in prison, with credit for 232 days he'd already spent in custody on a subsequent contempt charge.
