Florida deputy charged after stun gun turned man coated with gasoline into ‘human fireball’

A Florida deputy accused of recklessly deploying a stun gun on a person who was coated in gasoline and have become “a human fireball” has been charged within the incident at a fuel station final 12 months.

Osceola County Deputy David Crawford was charged this week with one depend of culpable negligence with private damage, a first-degree misdemeanor, in accordance with the State Lawyer of the Ninth Judicial District.

Jean Baretto had second- and third-degree burns to at the least 75% of his physique after the February 2022 incident at an Orlando fuel station.

Deputies have been pursuing Baretto, who was “accused of violating site visitors legal guidelines as he ‘popped wheelies’ in site visitors whereas on his grime bike,” and a battle ensued, the state legal professional’s workplace mentioned.

Baretto was pumping fuel when Crawford tackled him and “grow to be smothered in gasoline,” in accordance with Mark NeJame, Baretto’s legal professional.

Crawford then deployed his Taser, setting Baretto on hearth and turning him into “a human fireball,” NeJame mentioned.

Baretto would require lifelong care, his legal professional mentioned, including that the person has accrued extra the $7 million in medical bills.

NeJame says the cost “is however a primary tiny step.”

“Regulation enforcement is meant to guard us, not incinerate us,” NeJame mentioned. “This was a grossly extreme use of drive that ought to of and will have been averted.”

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned it’s letting the felony justice system determine if Crawford dedicated against the law.

“Over a 12 months in the past, we investigated this case and despatched our findings over to the State Lawyer’s Workplace to evaluation. We really feel it’s acceptable to let the felony justice system decide if Deputy Crawford did a felony act that might be confirmed past an affordable doubt,” the assertion learn.

 Crawford joined the company in 2012.