By Mirna Alsharif and Phil Helsel - NBC News
A Florida police officer accused of negligently using a taser against a man who was covered in gasoline, and turned into a "human fireball," has been charged in the gas station incident last year.
Osceola County Sheriff David Crawford was charged this week with one count of negligence with personal injury, a first-degree misdemeanor, according to the Ninth Judicial District State's Attorney's Office.
Jean Baretto suffered second- and third-degree burns on at least 75% of his body after the Feb. 22, 2022, incident at an Orlando gas station.
Jean Baretto, in hospital. Courtesy of NeJame Law Office
Officers were chasing Baretto, who was "charged with violating traffic laws when he lifted the front wheel of his off-road motorcycle while driving," and a struggle ensued, the prosecutor's office said.
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Baretto was pouring gas when Crawford knocked him down and the man "got wet with the gas," according to Mark NeJame, Baretto's attorney.
Crawford then fired his taser, which caused Baretto to be engulfed in flames, like a "human fireball," NeJame said.
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According to his lawyer, Baretto will require care for the rest of his life and added that he has accumulated more than $7 million in medical expenses.
NeJame said the indictment is "just a small first step."
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"Law enforcement officers are supposed to protect us, not incinerate us," NeJame said. "This was a gross excessive use of force that should and could have been avoided."
The Osceola County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that it is letting the justice system decide whether Crawford committed a crime.
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"A year ago, we investigated this case and sent the results to the State Attorney's Office for review. We believe it is appropriate to leave it to the justice system to determine whether Officer Crawford committed a criminal act that can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt," the statement said.
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Crawford joined the law enforcement agency in 2021.
If convicted, Crawford can face up to a year in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000, according to the state attorney's office.
