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Victim of gas station blaze sparked by deputy’s Taser files federal lawsuit

<i>Osceola County Sheriff's Office/WESH via CNN Newsource</i><br/>Back in November
Arif, Merieme
Osceola County Sheriff's Office/WESH via CNN Newsource
Back in November

By Gail Paschall-Brown

Click here for updates on this story

    OSCEOLA COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — A federal lawsuit filed this week accuses Osceola County deputies of using excessive force in a gas station fire incident that left a man with severe injuries.

His attorneys say unnecessary use of force has left their client altered and permanently disfigured.

We’re learning more about the federal lawsuit filed this week against the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office on behalf of a gas station fire victim.

Osceola County deputies say he and some other bikers led them on a chase from Osceola County to Orange County to an Orlando Wawa.

Back in November, a jury found Osceola County Deputy Mike Crawford not guilty of negligence after being accused of deploying his Taser on a gas-covered man in February 2022.

Jean Barreto suffered third-degree burns over 75 percent of his body.

Now his attorneys, the Pendas Law Firm in Orlando and Romanucci and Blandin out of Chicago, filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Crawford, four other Osceola County deputies, and the sheriff, citing:

“… despicable use of force by Osceola County deputies…”

The lawsuit contends Barreto suffered:

Severe permanent physical injury Prevention of ability to work Monetary losses Physical inconvenience and discomfort

The document reveals Barreto was among a group of dirt bike riders near La Terraza Sport Bar on Donnegan Road in Kissimmee on a planned memorial ride.

“The OCSO helicopter unit reported… a number of dirt bike riders were doing wheelies.”

Before that, the court document explains, “…there had been a report of an aggravated assault by a person on a motorcycle.”

However, the lawsuit says Osceola County knew “…Jean Barreto was not the suspected armed assailant but continued their pursuit of him.”

Barreto stopped at a WAWA station in Orlando and was refueling his bike. The lawsuit goes on to say deputies tackled him and pinned him to the ground.

The document further explains that as gasoline poured out of Jean Barreto’s overturned motorcycle, he was shocked by a stun gun.

The Taser ignited the gasoline, which ignited Barreto.

“The conduct and decision-making of the Osceola County deputies when they encountered Jean Barreto was despicable, yet it was also an unmistakable reflection of their training and direction from Sheriff Marcos Lopez,” Barreto’s attorneys said.

The lawsuit claims Barreto was suspected of reckless driving.

His attorneys say he’s spent a year in intensive care. They’re demanding a jury trial.

WESH 2 contacted the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office for a response. We are still waiting to hear back.

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