A deputy from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in the Florida Keys is facing a lawsuit from a teen crash victim who claims the officer repeatedly tased him after arriving at the crash scene.
Jordan Rivero, an aspiring firefighter, was heading back from a fishing trip in the Florida Keys with some friends back in July when the driver purportedly fell asleep and veered off the road, crashing into a concrete pole, according to the lawsuit obtained by Miami New Times. He further claims deputies treated him like “a suspect in custody,” with one repeatedly tasing him four times after he refused to obey orders and remain seated.
Rivero’s head allegedly slammed into the concrete, where police held him face-down in a pool of his own blood.
“Jordan was never accused of a crime, nor was he dangerous. He was a victim of a serious car accident and in need of medical attention,” Rivero’s attorney, Dena Foman, wrote in a statement to New Times. “The egregious actions of the police officers caused him great harm and further injury that will last him a lifetime.”
According to the sheriff’s office report, Rivero struck a sergeant before another officer deployed the Taser. The sergeant noted in the report that he would be unable to justify charging the crash victim over the tussle since it appeared he was confused and unaware of his surroundings.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment on the case, citing the pending litigation.