A Memphis police officer punched a driver and another one pepper-sprayed the man following a traffic stop and a standoff in front of the Orpheum Theater this week, according to a police affidavit. The driver's wife says police later called the man's boss and tried to get him fired from his city job.

The Wednesday evening incident in front of the iconic Downtown theater temporarily halted traffic on one of the trolley tracks in the area, which is popular among visitors and local residents alike.

Police stopped 27-year-old Willie J. Ingram on suspicion of reckless driving. Videos recorded by his wife show a lengthy standoff in which Ingram sat in a truck, refusing to hand over his driver's license and other documents.

A police account of the incident says Ingram's driver's license was suspended. Officers eventually forced him out of the truck, and in the process one of the officers hit him in the face with a closed fist, according to an arrest affidavit.

The document says that once Ingram was handcuffed and placed in a police car, he began kicking the doors and banging his head against a cage, prompting another officer to use pepper spray.

Ingram faces several misdemeanor charges and spent a night in jail before he was released Thursday on bond.

Ingram's wife, Carolyn Ingram, said her husband is a city sanitation worker, and that she talked with her husband's supervisor while he was still in jail.

"Well, I called her (Wednesday night) and she returned my call (Thursday morning) and I explained to her that I was his wife. And she said 'Oh yeah, I had police call me this morning and told me to terminate him. What happened?'"

She says the situation upset her. "Because he was wrongfully detained. It’s police brutality, because they didn’t have to put their hands on him. And it’s actually kind of harassment to call someone’s job and try to have him fired."

Officials didn't confirm the police tried to get him fired.

Police spokeswoman Lt. Karen Rudolph responded: "If anyone feels that they have been mistreated by a MPD officer, they can go to our Inspectional Service Bureau and file a complaint."

Carolyn Ingram says she's already contacted that police bureau and that the family also plans to hire an attorney.

Arlenia Cole, a city spokeswoman, said Ingram was off-duty at the time of the incident, but that she can't talk about personnel matters.

Traffic disrupted on Main Street

The incident played out about 6 p.m. Wednesday under the bright lights of the iconic theater on Main Street in Downtown, and the numerous police officers that responded parked their cars in front of the theater, temporarily stopping trolley and motor vehicle traffic on the west side of the street.

A police affidavit lays out this version of events: a police official identified as Lt. Nemec was driving in an unmarked vehicle and saw Ingram driving a truck, tailgating other vehicles and weaving in and out of traffic without signaling.

The lieutenant turned on his blue lights and siren. Ingram stopped, and the lieutenant asked for his license. According to the affidavit, Ingram refused to provide it, and the lieutenant called for more police cars.

The situation escalates

Derrick Clark, a chef who runs a restaurant company called A Square Meal, says he owns the truck that Willie Ingram was driving at the time of the traffic stop.

Clark said Ingram has worked for him for years, and recently began an additional job with the city government.

The chef says Ingram was using the truck to pick up and deliver food for the business, which operates different locations in the area, including one inside the MLGW building in 220 South Main, right near the Orpheum.

"I had no idea his license was suspended," Clark said.

He said the police told him that if Ingram had just handed over his license and said it was suspended, the situation probably wouldn't have escalated.

The affidavit continues: "Lt. Nemec opened the suspect('s) door to do a protective sweep as cars were making the scene."

Carolyn Ingram works for the restaurant business in the MLGW building and says her husband called her when he was pulled over. She recorded videos of the standoff, though she said she doesn't have video of the arrest, the punch or the pepper spray.

One of her videos appears to show the moments after the door was opened, with the officer in plainclothes arguing with the driver through an open door.

At one point, Carolyn Ingram talks to her husband. "Why are you being difficult?" she asks. "I'm not being difficult!" he responds. A moment later, he says the officer says he was driving recklessly. "I'm trying to hurry up and get to you," the driver says.

More police cars arrive.

The affidavit says the driver gave his license to another officer, Officer Smothers. A check showed the license was suspended for failure to pay a fine.

Then Lt. Nemec asked for insurance and registration documents, but the driver refused to cooperate, the affidavit says.

"Lt. Nemec attempted to get the suspect out of the vehicle for arrest and suspect would not open the door."

"Lt. Nemec unlocked the truck and Officer Smothers struck the suspect one time in the left side of the face with a closed fist," the affidavit says.

It's not clear how the truck was unlocked, but officers managed to open the door, the affidavit says, then forcefully pulled Ingram out of the vehicle, took him to the ground, handcuffed him and put him in the back of a police car.

The affidavit says he continued to resist the arrest during this process.

"While in the car the suspect started to kick the doors and bang his head on the cage," the affidavit says. Another officer, Officer Harvell, then used pepper spray on him, and officers called for medical help.

The emergency medical workers checked Ingram, and the police later booked him into jail.

Ingram is charged with disorderly conduct, resisting official detention, reckless driving, violations of vehicle registration and insurance laws, as well as driving while license suspended, revoked or canceled.

The charges are misdemeanors.

Shelby County court records say that Ingram has faced traffic tickets before — including an unpaid fee that led to suspension of his license — but he hasn't been arrested.

He was released on $100 bond on Thursday.

Investigative reporter Daniel Connolly welcomes tips and comments from the public. Reach him at 529-5296, daniel.connolly@commercialappeal.com, or on Twitter at @danielconnolly.