An Illinois couple was arrested for obstruction of justice, after a traffic stop over a suspended license plate escalated into a heated confrontation with officers. The video, which surfaced online, began with a police officer approaching the couple while they were in their car. Before asking for identification, the officer could be heard declaring that they’re “on body cam.”

The phrase is often used by police officers as a warning that a person’s actions are being recorded and could be used as evidence. The officer stated his reason for stopping the couple, saying that their license plate was suspended. The man replied, stating that he had already gotten “a couple of tickets” for it. As the police officer questioned the man for his driver’s license, the woman could be heard saying, “He just said he was following us as we got in here. I don’t feel like that’s right.”

The officer went back to his car and explained the situation to the Deputy Chief. The two then approached the couple in the car to explain what would happen next. “So, what’s going to happen is he told me that your driver’s license is valid,” the Deputy Chief can be heard saying. “However, you don’t have proof of insurance, and your plate is suspended. The state of Illinois says that you cannot drive this vehicle on the roadway. So your vehicle is going to be towed.”

Hearing this, the man began to scream and asked the officers to call the supervisor. “Listen, I’m the deputy chief. I’m the second in charge here,” the officer said, to which the man asked for the head chief to be called. What followed was a heated argument between the officers and the man. The moment the woman was asked to show ID, she started snatching the car keys from the man who was sitting in the driver’s seat.

The man refused to hand over the keys, which led to the woman hitting him. “If you hit him again, I’m going to rip you out of the car,” the Deputy Chief said. “It is a violation in the state of Illinois to hit somebody in front of a police officer. Do not do it again.” The officers dragged the couple out of the car.

The man was taken into police custody and put in the officers’ car. While sitting inside the vehicle, he claimed to have an anxiety attack. At the same time, the woman refused to leave the car and even attempted to bite multiple officers. The male suspect was identified as Luther and was charged with operating a suspended registration. He was later released after being ordered to pay $390.20 in fines and court costs.

The woman, on the other hand, was charged with two counts of felony aggravated battery on a police officer, resisting, and domestic battery with physical contact.” She ended up taking a plea deal, pleading guilty to the resisting charge, with all the other charges against her dismissed. While the officers allowed the man to walk scot-free, the female suspect is sentenced to two years of probation, ordered to perform 100 hours of public service, and ordered to enroll in a partner abuse intervention program.