A Southern California college student says Los Angeles police officers beat him up in front of his house because he was skateboarding on the wrong side of the street.

Ronald Weekley Jr., 20, of Venice, Calif., told USA TODAY that officers broke his nose and right cheekbone and gave him a concussion after they tackled him from behind Saturday night. Video shows several officers restraining the Xavier University sophomore and one officer punching him in the face while he was facedown.

The Los Angeles Police Department, however, maintains that Weekley resisted arrest after officers tried to stop him and discuss his traffic violation. After he ran from police, officers pursued him and used force -- including "several punches" -- until he was put into handcuffs, Commander Andrew Smith told USA TODAY.

Weekley admits he was riding his skateboard in the street, against oncoming traffic. But he said that there were no cars at the time and that in Venice it's common practice, as with bikes, to ride in the street.

He also says officers said nothing before tackling him in front of his home.

"I started screaming and yelling because I thought I was going to die," Weekley told USA TODAY. "No one said anything to me. I was completely surprised."

He was later taken to jail, where he received medical treatment.

Police didn't tell him why he was arrested until Sunday when he was allowed to make his first phone call, Weekley said.

He was released Monday and faces a felony charge of resisting arrest.

"It's extremely hazardous to ride a skateboard in the wrong direction," Smith said. "He failed to cooperate with police officers' legal detention and use of force incurred."

He added, however, that it is too early to say whether the video of the confrontation depicts any police wrongdoing. "Use of force is never pretty," Smith said. "Taking people into custody who are not cooperative is never pleasant to watch."

Since the incident, the LAPD has launched two investigations into the confrontation. The first, as with all cases where force is used, will look into whether police should have used force, Smith said. The second internal investigation, brought on by a complaint by Weekley's father, will look into whether there was any police misconduct , he said.

Meanwhile, Weekley is taking a semester off of college to process what happened. Today, he and dozens of supporters held a protest, according to NBC.

His attorney, Benjamin Crump, told USA TODAY that officers involved in the incident should be reprimanded. "Over 20 years after Rodney King, police are still using excessive force against their citizens," Crump said. "This kid did nothing wrong. This was a good kid. We have to stop this police brutality and excessive force."