Charges Dropped Against Police Officer Involved in Calvin Wilks Death

CRESTVIEW, Fla. -- Manslaughter charges against three Crestview Police officers were dismissed on Tuesday in connection with the 2021 death of Calvin Wilks Jr. Officers Brandon Hardaway, William Johns, and Evan Reynolds had been indicted by an Okaloosa grand jury in June 2022. Following the dismissal, they will return to work next month, initially on administrative duty while the department conducts an internal review. The State Attorney's Office says additional evidence raised "serious questions" about the cause of Wilks' death and concluded that the evidence did not sufficiently prove criminal responsibility. 40-year-old Wilks became combative when officers responded to a call for help on October 14, 2021, leading to him being tased. He became unresponsive shortly after and died the next day in the hospital. An autopsy ruled his death a homicide, citing an irregular heartbeat due to restraint and drugs in his system.