Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Officer Faces Battery Charge After Alleged E-Bike Altercation at Jacksonville Beach Skate Park

Charge stems from Saturday incident at Sunshine Park

A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) officer has been charged with misdemeanor battery following an incident at the Jacksonville Beach skate park at Sunshine Park, where witnesses reported that a teenager was pulled off an e-bike and thrown to the ground. The case is being handled amid an internal review by JSO.

The incident was reported Saturday when Jacksonville Beach police responded to Sunshine Park in connection with teens riding e-bikes in the skate park area. During the response, officers were told an adult had confronted one of the teens and used physical force that resulted in minor injuries, according to accounts provided to police.

Witness accounts describe force used and badge displayed

Multiple witnesses and the teen involved reported that the adult grabbed the teenager from the e-bike and threw him down. Witnesses further stated that the adult then fell on top of the teen and later displayed a badge, identifying himself as an off-duty law enforcement officer.

Authorities identified the officer as Stephen D. Hicks, a five-year JSO veteran. He was not at the scene when officers arrived, but later turned himself in to the JSO Integrity Unit. He was booked on a misdemeanor battery charge and transported to the Duval County Jail.

Administrative action and prior involvement in a 2024 shooting

JSO reassigned Hicks from his duties while the criminal case and internal review proceed. He had been assigned to the Hazardous Devices Unit, according to reports released by law enforcement and local media outlets.

JSO also confirmed Hicks previously was involved in a May 2024 road-rage-related shooting, during which he fired at a driver after the driver reportedly displayed a gun and then led officers on a pursuit spanning roughly 30 miles.

Rules and enforcement tensions around e-bikes in public spaces

The Sunshine Park incident unfolded against broader regional debates over where and how e-bikes can be operated safely. In Northeast Florida’s beach communities, local governments and law enforcement agencies have recently discussed and, in some cases, adopted new restrictions aimed at speed, right-of-way conflicts and riding in parks or other shared public areas.

• The teens at Sunshine Park were reminded by responding officers that e-bikes are not permitted in the skate park.
• The criminal allegation focuses on the reported physical contact and resulting injuries, not on the underlying park-rule violation.

Part of a wider pattern of recent employee arrests

Hicks’ arrest is the fourth arrest of a JSO employee in the first three weeks of 2026. Other recent cases announced by JSO include a DUI arrest of a veteran officer on Jan. 2, the Jan. 6 arrest of a former officer on grand theft and official misconduct charges, and the Jan. 14 arrest of a corrections officer accused of battery and witness tampering.

The battery charge is a misdemeanor, and the case remains pending as investigative steps continue and any court proceedings move forward.

No additional details were immediately released about potential video evidence, including surveillance footage or body-worn camera recordings, or whether further charges could be considered.