Man yells “You only arrested me because I’m white”; Duo charged at Embassy Suites

21-year-old William Sipe was charged with public intoxication and 24-year-old Galen Cherry was charged with disorderly conduct as well as public intoxication after officers got a report they were harassing guests outside of an Embassy Suites hotel during an alleged bachelor party.

On October 18th, Metro Nashville Police Officers responded to a report of a group of intoxicated people harassing guests in the lobby of the Embassy Suites Hotel on 10 Century Boulevard. When officers arrived, they made contact with Galen Cherry and William Sipe. A security guard at the hotel claimed Galen was threatening people in the hotel. Police stated he refused to give his identification and was acting aggressively.

Officers also noted Sipe smelled heavily of alcohol, frequently removed his mask, could not stand on his own, and attempted to speak to guests who did not want to converse with him. They tried to get him to sit on a bench, but he kept trying to stand up and move around. When he finally sat down he fell off of the bench and hit the floor. After officers asked Galen several times to calm down, he was told to go grab his things from his hotel room. He sat down next to Sipe instead and refused to continue to grab his stuff.

Officer’s attempts to defuse the situation were ignored and they were taken into custody. On Sipe’s way to booking, he said “You know you will never win the lottery,” and repeatedly stated, “You only arrested me because I’m white.” He reported he was only in Nashville for a bachelor party and was on broadway prior to the incident. When he arrived at booking he told the officer “Fuck you, let’s go.”

After being asked for his side of the event, Galen stated it was not a bachelor party, but a close friend’s birthday party. He further explained while they were behind a car, attempting to find a parking spot, a woman got out and accused them of following her. The woman’s friend then exited the vehicle and started yelling at Galen’s girlfriend, Gabriela DiCarlo, to which they came to her defense. He claimed the security guard was “chill” at first and they went up to their hotel room to play cards. Galen reportedly received a call shortly after stating the situation escalated downstairs and they wanted both of them to come back down. Galen told Scoop: Nashville the security guard was talking provocatively at him and shoved him a couple of times in the hotel lobby.

He assumed the security guard would be arrested and went back to the room. He decided to leave the room again, to make peace with the women and the other family members they had allegedly harassed at the hotel. Galen claimed, “things were peaceful and then the cops showed up, and then it was over.” He stated he did eventually give the officers his ID and he agreed to gather things from his hotel room and leave, but saw Sipe in handcuffs. He sat down with Sipe, put his arm around him, and attempted to reassure him. He claimed that is when he was put in handcuffs. Gabriela stated that Galen and Sipe’s charges were frustrating because they had been in a hotel room where they were not in public and were brought back out twice.

William Sipe was arrested and charged with public intoxication. His charges were later dismissed.

Galen Cherry was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and public intoxication. He was freed on pretrial release.