A street vendor in Memphis, Tennessee, known for selling water and Gatorade at an intersection, was gifted a car by a local pastor and community members after he was arrested for blocking the street. The vendor, identified as 33-year-old Demarcus Dickerson, had been selling his drinks at the intersection for nearly six years with no trouble, until his arrest on Oct. 6, which he said has “traumatized” him for the rest of his life.
After learning about the community response to his arrest, however, Dickerson told News Channel 3 that he was amazed by the support. “It’s amazing because I know people support me. They care about me. They go hard, like they ain’t playing about Marcus,” Dickerson, who was featured by ABC24 Memphis for his work four years ago, told the news outlet.
“I’m glad the community is coming together to help me.” In an affidavit of complaint against Dickerson, Memphis Police Department Officers said they charged him with obstructing a highway/passageway after an initial warning. They state in the complaint that they received a call about a suspicious person at the intersection of East Parkway and Poplar Avenue at about 9:34 a.m. on Oct. 6.
They reported that they observed him obstructing the highway and advised him that he was in danger of getting hit by vehicles while selling his drinks. He was advised to move to the sidewalk and not “block traffic again.” The officers said they advised Dickerson not to return to the area, and he was released.
At about 1 p.m. that day, however, Dickerson was at the intersection selling his drinks again, and officers responded by arresting him. He asked officers to leave his cooler and wagon at a nearby fire station, Action News 5 reported.