Edgewater Police Officer Suspended During Investigation of CVS Employee Arrest

EDGEWATER, Fla – An Edgewater police officer is currently on administrative leave following the arrest of a CVS employee. The employee’s family claims he was simply waiting outside the store for a ride after work when an officer approached him. He was arrested on a charge of “obstructing an officer without violence.”

The charges against 22-year-old Paul Wert have since been dropped by the state attorney’s office. However, police have announced that Officer Daniel Rippeon is on leave while they conduct their investigation into the incident.

Body camera footage has surfaced, revealing the interaction between Officer Rippeon and Wert. The family shared this video with News 6.

In the video, Wert can be heard explaining his situation. “That’s my ride, so I’m just going to go ahead and go,” he says. The officer responds, “No, you’re not.”

According to Rippeon’s arrest report, he approached Wert because he allegedly saw him trying to “hide behind a pillar,” which he deemed suspicious behavior. The video begins with Wert sitting on a bench outside the CVS.

The officer claims that Wert refused to provide identification and insisted he was leaving with his ride. 

“I work here, sir, I just got off work,” Wert states in the video. 

The officer’s response escalated then: “Dude, you’re going to get tased. Turn around – ‘I work here.’ Stand up and turn around, put your hands behind your back, don’t move. If you move, I have a K9 in my car; you’re going to get dog bit.”

While the Wert family declined to speak on camera, Paul’s grandparents addressed the city council this week, arguing that the arrest was illegal. 

“He was accosted, he was arrested, and he spent two and a half days in the county jail for absolutely doing nothing,” said Paul Wert Sr.

Helen Wert added, “No mention of certain actions that were in that arrest record. The body cam speaks volumes on how our grandson was treated and illegally arrested and thrown in jail because the officer wanted to teach him a lesson.”

In response to the incident, the police department posted on its Facebook page, stating, “It’s aware of the attention surrounding the arrest of Paul Wert on May 10, 2025. Following the arrest of Wert, a formal internal affairs investigation was initiated. Officer Rippeon has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”