"Punky Brewster's" sidekick best friend, known for her cheery smile and demeanor isn't smiling right now.

The actress, who also starred in "Family Matters," has been thrust into the spotlight due to a racial profiling incident in South Carolina that has left both her and her boyfriend Dennis White shaken and apalled.

On Sept. 22, the couple, who are both African American and actors, were on their way to Myrtle Beach for a romantic getaway when they were initially stopped and ticketed for speeding. Following the incident a short time later, the couple pulled over to the side of the road so Johnson could take a picture and a different cop car pulled up behind them, according to TODAY.

TODAY reported Johnson and White's account of the incident that has re-ignited the controversial topic of racial profiling. 

"Cherie, she was like, 'I'm just taking a picture,' and put her hands up, and he grabbed for his gun and said, 'Get in the car,''' White told TODAY's Maria Schiavocampo on Wednesday."At that point, I was kind of like, 'Whoa,''' Johnson said.

After being questioned and asked to step out of the car, the couple was told there was a warrant out for Johnson's arrest.  In disbelief of the harsh treatment they were receiving, Johnson confronted the cop.

"I said, 'Sir are you doing this because we're black?''' Johnson said. "He kind of just patted the car, gave me a look, and walked to his car. The next thing I knew, he was putting on his gloves, and he was handcuffing Dennis. I couldn't understand why he was handcuffing. We didn't do anything wrong."

They were then accused of drug possesion in the car, according to the couple. When Johnson asked what was the probable cause, the officer allegedly responded, "there could be a dead body in the trunk."

After searching and realizing the car was clean, the officer said there was no warrant out for Johnson's arrest in the first place, according to the couple.

What does the Marion County Sheriffs Office have to say about this?

They released a statement saying racial profiling is "strictly prohibited" and that it "will take immediate and appropriate action" to investigate the allegations. It also is asking the state law enforcement division to review the allegations, TODAY adds.

"It hurts me more that telling the story, other people are not surprised," Johnson said in an interview on HLN's" Showbiz Tonight" on Monday, CNN reports. "They're not shocked about what we went through. So many people have gone through it, too.  I don't understand how come they haven't fought it and how come they just let it go."

"I've been stopped by the police before, but I've never been fearful for my life," Johnson said on Sunday. "They need some kind of sensitivity training."

The couple, who have shared their story on social media and TV, is hoping their story have an impact on combating racial profiling and help others speak out.