‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Winner Arrested For Allegedly Threatening Police Officer

A drag queen who previously won “RuPaul’s Drag Race” has been arrested for allegedly threatening to kill a police officer.

James William Ross IV, who competed in a drag queen television show under the name Tyra Sanchez, was arrested after he allegedly threatened to kill a police officer in Starke, Florida following a car accident.

An arrest report obtained by TMZ on Saturday has revealed that the 35-year-old drag queen was involved in a car accident on May 17. When police arrived after the fender bender, which took place roughly 45 miles southwest of Jacksonville, Ross reportedly lost his cool.

He allegedly jumped out of his car when he saw the police and launched into a tirade at the officers. Despite their best attempts at calming him down, Ross just continued to berate the officers.

As they tried to place him in handcuffs, Ross allegedly resisted arrest and even threatened to shoot an officer.

According to statements from the police, the former drag star then tried to reach into his car — but one officer stopped him, placing him in what the statement described as a “bear hug.”

However, Ross managed to break free — prompting officers to attempt to tase him, but that approach was also ineffective. He was eventually captured after attempting to escape the scene on foot, and was charged by the Starke Police Department with two misdemeanors: resisting an officer without violence and simply assault on an officer.

Ross was released from jail on May 19.

This was not his first time making headlines for violent threats. According to the New York Daily News, Ross has had some serious issues in the years after being named “America’s Next Drag Superstar” in 2010 — which landed him a $25,000 prize.

Ross was previously banned from attending DragCon, a convention for drag queens, after he posted violent threats on social media — one of which involved telling a fan to “go kill yourself b—” in 2016. He also suggested that suicide survivors were cowards who “give up.”

The former drag superstar was also arrested in 2020 after he allegedly vandalized an Atlanta apartment complex that he was squatting in — using spray paint to write “Don’t move here ever” on the wall.

Ross announced his retirement as a drag queen in March of last year. At the same time, he requested to be disassociated from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” while accusing the show and its fans of being racist.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR