Houston Dynamo player completely cleared in 2012 night club incident

Roosevelt Lounge settles with Tyler Deric, issues letter of apology

HOUSTON – A Houston Dynamo player has been cleared of all charges in a February 2012 incident at a Houston night club, authorities announced Monday.

In a counter claim brought by Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Tyler Deric, Roosevelt Lounge settled with Deric, paying him an undisclosed amount of money and issuing a letter of apology to him.

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In open court Monday, attorneys said the police officer suing Deric withdrew the last remaining civil charges brought against him by Houston police Officer Ramon Perez. Perez had sued Deric for injuries to his arms and knees following an altercation at the Houston night club.

Deric invited friends and teammates to join him back in 2012 for a pre-season gathering at the Roosevelt. When the group approached the doorman at the club, they were denied entry because the group had "too many black guys," attorneys said.

Deric, who is white, and his companions were reportedly outraged by the racial prejudice exhibited by the doorman and verbally confronted the Roosevelt employee at the door.

Authorities said Perez responded by pulling out his asp baton and physically confronting the group. After a small skirmish, the Deric group started to leave the premises. Perez and his colleague followed Deric off the property, and there the other off-duty officer pulled out a Taser and allegedly deployed it at the Dynamo player.

One of Deric's teammates, Warren Creavalle, pulled out his cellphone to record the incident just after the Taser was deployed, and Creavalle was immediately arrested for "interference," authorities said. Those charges were quickly dropped. That night, Perez charged Deric with felony assault of a public servant and the Harris County Grand Jury later no-billed those charges.

Perez then filed a civil lawsuit against Deric, claiming he suffered injuries at the hands of Deric. Deric, in turn, sued the Roosevelt Lounge as a defendant for starting the whole event. Attorneys said the Roosevelt paid Deric an undisclosed amount of money to settle his claim for the injuries from the Taser event. Additionally, the owner of the Roosevelt Lounge issued a letter of apology to Deric for what both Deric and his family were put through.

The officer's injury case was set to go to trial Monday when while in the courtroom waiting for a jury to be selected, authorities said Perez withdrew his case against Deric -- bringing to an end all of the issues surrounding the Feb. 4, 2012 incident.

"I am grateful that Tyler's good name and reputation in our community remain intact," said attorney Randy Sorrels after the dismissal. "As the truth has come out, it is clear that Tyler Deric was the real victim in this case. The fact that he stood up against the racial prejudice exhibited against his teammates at the Roosevelt and never backed down from the truth is a testament to his character and resolve."

"The Houston Dynamo and the entire city of Houston should be proud of this homegrown athlete's courage to fight against racial prejudice in our court system to the end," Sorrels added.