In a closely watched case, Osceola County Florida Deputy David Crawford was acquitted of culpable negligence after a 2022 incident in which a motorcyclist, Jean Barreto, was severely burned during an attempted arrest.
The confrontation occurred at a Wawa gas station, where Crawford used a Taser near gas-soaked surroundings, igniting a fire that left Barreto with third-degree burns on 75% of his body and caused minor injuries to Crawford himself, The DailyMail reports.
Prosecutors argued that Crawford’s actions demonstrated recklessness, emphasizing that deploying a Taser in such circumstances defied common safety practices. However, Crawford’s defense claimed the fire was unintentional and that Crawford had tossed the Taser aside, not fired it. The jury deliberated for six hours before delivering the not-guilty verdict.
Following the acquittal, Barreto’s legal team announced plans to pursue a civil lawsuit against the sheriff’s office, alleging excessive use of force.
While Crawford’s legal challenges in the criminal court have ended, he has been on administrative leave since the incident.
#Clique, do you think the cops did too much?
