Bryant Amastha, a 32-year-old quadriplegic YouTube star known as El Valien-T, is facing two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer after an unusual incident in Miami. Despite being unable to use his limbs, Amastha allegedly struck a Miami cop with his motorized wheelchair and spit at her during an altercation.
The incident occurred at Amastha’s home in southwest Miami-Dade’s Quail Heights area during a dispute involving his mother’s arrest. Amastha claims that when the officer bumped into his wheelchair while he was standing in a narrow driveway, he became agitated. Regarding the spitting allegation, Amastha attributes the action to his acid reflux condition, explaining that he spit in a different direction.
Amastha denies the accusations and described the arrest in a way that contradicted the officers’ version of events. He stated that he was manhandled during the arrest and complained about being cuffed behind his back, which he cannot physically do due to his condition.
The Miami-Dade judge overseeing the case said he had never encountered a situation like this before but ultimately allowed Amastha to be released on his own recognizance, noting that he was not a flight risk. The judge also ordered Amastha to avoid contact with the officer involved in the incident.
Although bodycam footage of the incident exists, it has not yet been released. Amastha, who has gained a sizable following on Instagram with nearly 100,000 followers, continues to share music videos and content through his YouTube channel. Miami-Dade police have not received prior complaints regarding this incident, and there have been no reports of damage to Amastha’s wheelchair during the arrest.