A night that began with social media streamer Benjamin Beard working the Texas A&M sideline ended with him tased and in handcuffs outside a Northgate bar early Sunday. College Station police say the 34-year-old, known online as BenDaDonnn, was taken into custody around 1:20 a.m. as officers tried to clear a crowd from the roadway outside The Spot on Northgate, and his private security guard was arrested alongside him after allegedly shoving an officer to the ground.
Beard, who boasts more than 3.7 million combined social media followers and has collaborated with entertainers including Drake, was charged with evading arrest or detention, while his guard, 29-year-old Kenny Carter, was booked on a charge of interference with public duties, according to Atlanta News First. Police say a group that included Beard and Carter refused to disperse as officers worked to clear pedestrians from in front of the bar at 303 Boyett Street, and that Carter shoved an officer to the ground before Beard attempted to get away and was struck with a Taser. The Houston Chronicle pinpoints the confrontation to the heart of Northgate, the main nightlife strip bordering Texas A&M's campus.
Jail records show Beard was held on a $7,000 bond for evading arrest or detention, while Carter's bond was set at $4,000 for interference with public duties, per FOX 26 Houston. The station also reports that officers recovered a firearm from Carter during the arrest, a detail that surfaced after police say a large entourage had crowded around the two men and repeatedly ignored orders to move back. Carter had identified himself to officers as Beard's security guard.
From the Kyle Field Sideline to Locker Room Denial
Hours before the arrest, Beard had been a visible presence at Texas A&M's game against Arkansas at Kyle Field, according to the Associated Press. Texas A&M won 34-7. He was shown on the sideline near the team and even appeared on Texas A&M football's official X account during the game, but when he tried to get into the locker room at halftime, head coach Mike Elko had him removed. The station notes that Texas A&M's own football social accounts had initially amplified Beard's sideline presence before coaching staff cut off his access.
The Spot on Northgate ranked 10th out of 132 College Station venues in beverage revenue over the year ending August 2026, with $1,573,944 in revenue from liquor, wine, beer and coolers, excluding food, according to Pourcast.ai.
Streamer Vows Legal Action, Cites Racial Profiling
Beard addressed the arrest himself during an October 5 Twitch livestream staged inside a mock jail cell set, telling viewers he intends to sue the College Station Police Department. He said he complied with officers' commands and characterized the arrest as racial profiling. That account has not been resolved against the competing version police gave of the encounter, which describes Beard attempting to flee and Carter shoving an officer before the Taser was deployed.
Under Texas Penal Code Section 38.04, intentionally fleeing on foot from a known peace officer attempting a lawful arrest or detention is generally a Class A misdemeanor, carrying up to a year in county jail and a fine of as much as $4,000, according to FindLaw.
A Familiar Flashpoint in Northgate
The clash adds to a string of recent public-safety concerns along Northgate. Less than a month earlier, a firearm was discharged inside the nearby One15 Nightclub, resulting in eight criminal charges against a 19-year-old suspect, as Hoodline reported in prior coverage of Northgate gun violence. College Station police maintain a dedicated entertainment district unit — a sergeant and nine bicycle officers — in the district, which regularly draws huge crowds during Aggies home games.
Both Beard and Carter face open criminal cases in Brazos County following the weekend arrests. Whether body-camera footage exists, and how Beard's promised civil suit over alleged racial profiling will square with police accounts of non-compliance and evading arrest, remain open questions as the case moves forward.
