UP IN FLAMES

Florida Deputy Charged After Suspect Is ‘Cooked Alive’ by Taser Fire

The taser caused an explosion and injured three deputies and the suspect in the fire.

A Florida deputy who shot his taser near a Wawa gas pump has been formally charged with culpable negligence after three responding officers, including himself, and the suspect were injured in a fire that ensued. In February 2022, the cops chased Jean Barreto Baerga, who they accused of zooming past red lights and into incoming traffic. Baerga stopped to fuel up his motorcycle at a Wawa before the deputies swiftly ambushed and tackled him to the ground. One officer warned “Kill the pump! There’s gas!” when they whipped out their tasers, according to body-cam footage, but Deputy David Crawford ignored the caution. Because Baerga was “soaked in gasoline,” Crawford’s fired taser caused an explosion, a state official said. All of them were taken to the hospital, and Baerga suffered second- and third-degree burns to roughly 75 percent of his body. His lawyer told The Daily Beast last year that Baerga was literally “cooked alive.” Only his face, hands, and feet remained unscathed from his protective gear. Crawford has been on paid administrative leave since a sheriff recommended culpable negligence charges last year.