• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Cop charged after tasing man at gas station, setting fire which 'cooked him alive'

Home> News

Updated 11:38 27 May 2023 GMT+1Published 11:33 27 May 2023 GMT+1

Cop charged after tasing man at gas station, setting fire which 'cooked him alive'

The fireball burned almost three quarters of the victim's body.

Ali Condon

Ali Condon

A police officer in Osceola County, Florida has been charged for tasing a man at a gas station, igniting a fireball and causing serious injuries.

Deputy David Crawford has been charged with culpable negligence for the incident, which occurred in February 2022 at a Wawa gas station in Orange County.

Deputy Crawford had been apprehending biker Jean Barreto Baerga, who had been accused of driving recklessly on the roads that day.

Advert

According to both the sheriff's office and the State Attorney's office, Baerga had been running red lights, heading toward oncoming traffic, and driving on the sidewalk and the grass.

In body cam footage, Deputy Crawford can be seen pulling in to Wawa gas station after Baerga before tackling him to the ground.

Jean Barreto Baerga suffered severe burns.
Osceola County Sheriff’s Office

When Crawford pulls out his taser, another deputy can be heard shouting: "Kill the pump! Kill the pump! There's gas!"

Advert

Still, Crawford raises his taser, and can be heard telling the suspect, who was at this point lying in a puddle of gasoline: "You're gonna get tased again, dude."

The taser caused an immediate explosion, leaving the suspect with severe burns.

In CCTV footage from the incident, one individual can be seen rolling around frantically on the ground trying to put out the flames on their body.

Baerga's lawyer Mark NeJame says that he suffered both second and third-degree burns on about three quarters of his body, and the only parts that weren't injured were his masked face, his gloved hands, and his feet, saying Baerga has been 'cooked alive'.

Advert

They also stated that, as a result, Baerga has racked up an eye-watering $7 million in medical expenses.

Jean Barretto Baerga suffered burns on 75 percent of his body.
NeJame Law

“He barely survived. His life will always be in jeopardy because of the massive amount of scar tissue and damage that happened to his body," NeJame said of his client, according to Orlando Sentinel.

"He’s doing his best to get through his life with these cards that have been dealt to him.

Advert

"If he was driving recklessly, charge him with reckless driving, but you don’t almost kill somebody and set them on fire.

"You cannot have law enforcement running amok. They’re supposed to be our protectors, not our ignitors."

NeJame has also argued that Deputy Crawford's culpable negligence charge doesn't speak 'to the severity of the negligence and the severity of the injuries', and is calling for legislature to be updated so that if an incident like this occurs again, 'it does allow for a felony'.

When asked for comment on this, the sheriff's office told Fox 35: "We feel it's appropriate to let the criminal justice system determine if Deputy Crawford did a criminal act that could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt."

Featured Image Credit: Osceola County Sheriff’s Office/ Nejame Law

Topics: News, US News, Police, Crime

Ali Condon
Ali Condon

Ali is a journalist for LADbible Group, writing on all things film, music, and entertainment across Tyla, LADbible and UNILAD. You can contact Ali at [email protected].

X

@alicondon

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

8 hours ago
9 hours ago
  • 8 hours ago

    Elon Musk's ex-wife reveals one reason being married to him 'sucked'

    Justine Wilson was married to Elon Musk from 2000 to 2008 and did not mince her words as she opened up about their relationship

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Scientists reveal biggest great white shark ever recorded in Atlantic has resurfaced in major US tourist hotspot

    It's not the biggest great white shark in the ocean, however

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Scientists reveal what the length of your fingers really says about you and it might be surprising

    An in-depth analysis of more than 5,000 people across 12 countries indicates that your hand could well determine your fitness and more

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Plane passenger almost fined $800 after being stopped by TSA over easy mistake

    The passenger explained her travel nightmare in a video that has since gone viral on TikTok

    News
  • Missing girl, 15, found alive six weeks after disappearance 500 miles away from home
  • People outraged after video of cop punching driver goes viral with everyone saying same thing
  • Bodycam footage shows moment man who shot Donald Trump points gun at cop who confronted him
  • Death row inmate gave chilling final signal to witnesses before execution by nitrogen gas