Social media personality Benjamin Beard, better known online as BenDaDonnn, was arrested early Sunday near a college bar in College Station, Texas, following a physical altercation with police. The 34-year-old, who has built a massive following of more than 3.7 million fans through live streams and celebrity collaborations, now faces a charge of evading arrest. A second man, 29-year-old Kenny Carter, who identified himself as Beard’s security guard, was charged with interference with public duties after police say he shoved an officer to the ground.
According to police, the incident began as officers tried to clear people from the roadway in front of a campus-area bar. A group refused to comply, and the situation escalated into a physical struggle. An officer deployed a taser on Beard as he attempted to get away. Earlier that evening, Beard had appeared on Texas A&M football’s official X account on the sideline, and another account showed him being removed from the locker room by head coach Elko at halftime.
The story has spread quickly, partly because of Beard’s celebrity connections and partly because it happened on one of the biggest stages in college football. But the same questions echo beyond College Station, from spring training crowds here on the Suncoast to festival season in downtown Sarasota: when a big event draws thousands, whose job is it to keep the streets clear and calm? What do you think, should influencers face the same consequences as anyone else, or does fame change the equation?
