On Tuesday evening, the traffic stop escalated to the point where the police officer punched a handcuffed woman in face. The police said that accused female officer acted in the self-defense.

“I didn't understand how a simple traffic stop could escalate into being punched in the face,” Carlett Johnson said. Cheverly Police pulled her over on the Route 202 for driving without a front license plate, she said.

The police learned that the women’s tags had been suspended because the tint on her windows was too dark, for that she had previously been ticketed.

Police placed her on the curb and searched her vehicle before impounding it.

She said that she wanted to retrieve her phone to call her son who was at home alone.

Police handcuffed her and also put her in the front seat of a police car. The police officer asked Johnson to turn the woman’s head to the left so that she could buckle her seat belt, according to a police report. The officer said that Johnson would not comply with the woman’s orders.

Police took her to the Prince George’s Hospital Center, where she has received stitches.

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The Cheverly Police Department is reviewing the incident and said that preliminarily it appears the officer followed protocol.

Police released a statement which said, in part, “it appears Ms. Johnson attempted to bite the officer, who was attempting to seat belt Ms. Johnson, prompting the officer to defend herself. … Officer safety is paramount, and being bitten has the potential of exposing officers not only to bodily harm but to serious, infectious disease…”

Johnson denies trying to bite the police officer.

Cheverly Police said that they have body camera video of the incident but are not releasing it while it is under review.

The accused officer started with the department earlier in this month.

Mrudula Duddempudi.