Orlando police officer investigated for allegedly punching suspect

ORLANDO, Fla. — Channel 9 found out an Orlando police officer who is accused of punching a suspect in the head could face criminal charges.

The State Attorney's Office is reviewing the case against Orlando police Officer Phillip Fugate for allegedly punching suspect Ronald McFadden during his arrest.

McFadden was arrested and charged with petit theft and fleeing police in June after he took off when officers tried to pull him over for a stolen tag.

Prosecutors dropped the charges against the 23-year-old and are now considering charges against Fugate.

But during a jail phone obtained by Channel 9, McFadden told a friend he wasn't the one who complained about the alleged punch

"The cops came and took a picture of my face yesterday because like I said, when the cracker punched me, somebody had witnessed it. So they done came here and took all kinds of pictures of my face," said McFadden. "The one lady was like, 'You have to tell. They don't supposed to do that.'"

McFadden's mug shot, which was taken shortly after his arrest, doesn't show any signs of injury, and he downplayed the incident in a jail phone call to his mother.

"So, your faced swelled up?" his mother asked.

"It wasn't swelled. It was just a little poofy from (him) hitting me, but, you know, it wasn't swelling, nothing like that," said McFadden.

Fugate was transferred out of the Orlando Police Department's tactical unit while the incident is under investigation.

WFTV