[August]

Signing a traffic ticket is not an admission of guilt. It is a promise to either pay the fine or appear in court later on to answer the charge. Remember ,ALL violations of the law regardless of severity subject the perpetrator(s) to arrest by civil authority.

For that particular violation a signed promise to appear in court (or pay) is good enough for the police to justify releasing you on your own recognizance until then. On the other hand refusing to sign forces the cop to ensure your presence in court by arresting you.

Now as the cop attempts to arrest the guy, notice that he puts his hands in his pocket and begins moving back to his vehicle, maybe going for a gun or other weapon or maybe intending to drive away who knows? But by doing that he was resisting the cops attempt to arrest him which elevates the situation from a misdemeanor to a felony.

The sad thing about this is the guys own actions elevated the situation from probably just a warning.

Excessive force? Eh, easy for us to say when we're not the ones having to decide in a split second what to do.

Having said all that though, Utah cops suck.