Florida deputy charged for Tasing biker while pumping gas — resulting in him being 'cooked alive'

On Thursday, The Daily Beast reported that a Florida deputy has been charged with misdemeanor culpable negligence after Tasing a suspect who was pumping gas — resulting in an explosion that caused third-degree burns to 75 percent of the suspect's body.

"Jean Louis Barreto Baerga, 26, has been in the hospital and undergone six surgeries since the Feb. 27 incident, in which his attorney says he was literally 'cooked alive,'" reported Justin Baragona. "Cops were attempting to arrest Barreto, a motorcyclist they say was riding recklessly and had pointed a gun at other motorists. Barreto’s lawyer, Mark NeJame, insists his client hadn’t committed a crime, has no criminal history, and continues to undergo excruciating surgeries in order to save his life."

"At a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez said a concerned citizen called 911 to report a biker fitting Barreto’s description had waved a pistol at him on the road," said the report, noting that he was soon tracked to a WaWa convenience store. "Deputies soon descended on the location, and one struggled to handcuff a resistant Barreto, Lopez said. In the fracas, Barreto’s dirtbike got knocked over and gas started spilling out of the tank, he continued. That’s when Osceola County Deputy Christopher Koffinas tried to take Barreto into custody by Tasing him, which didn’t 'have the desired effect,' according to Lopez. A second deputy, David Crawford, then yelled at Barreto, 'You’re about to get Tased again, dude,' Lopez said, adding that Crawford called out for someone to cut the flow of fuel to the nearby pumps."

The explosion happened immediately after this pronouncement. According to the department, one deputy immediately tried to douse the flames with a fire extinguisher, and another poured a bottle of Gatorade on Crawford's legs to stop the fire there. Multiple deputies sustained minor burns themselves. Crawford is the deputy charged in the incident.

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According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office prohibits the use of tasers in situations where a suspect “could possibly be seriously injured by secondary factors,” which would include the presence of flammable chemicals.

Barreto faces multiple charges including reckless driving and resisting an officer, but has not been arrested yet because he remains in the hospital “without skin on most of his body” and wrapped in gauze, according to the report.