A man who caught fire at a gas station is suing Osceola County and deputies for excessive force.

In 2022, in Osceola County, Florida, a man who found himself on fire at a gas station is taking legal action against Osceola County and several deputies, alleging an inappropriate use of force.

The incident took place in February 2022 when Jean Barreto-Baerga was on his motorcycle and a routine traffic stop turned into a heated encounter at a gas station. Following allegations of reckless driving, deputies, including David Crawford, trailed Barreto to a Wawa gas station.

Accusations were made against Crawford for deploying a Taser on Barreto, who was surrounded by gasoline, causing a fire that harmed both individuals. In November, Crawford was acquitted of culpable negligence. He maintained that he did not intentionally use the taser, alleging that he merely picked it up after another deputy discharged it, leading to an accidental activation.

“I knew we were in gas, and I wanted to get the Taser away from him,” Crawford said on the stand.

Barreto, who suffered burns on over 75% of his body, had his legal team indicate that a federal lawsuit was inevitable even before the trial concluded.

“Jean’s scars are obviously physical. He’s completely maimed and scared from head to toe but the real damage is on the inside,” attorney Albert Yonfa told News 6 during the trial.

Barreto is suing the county, Sheriff Marcos Lopez, Crawford, and four other deputies, alleging the incident was a “despicable and wholly unnecessary use of force for a suspected traffic violation” that left him permanently disfigured.

In a statement, Barreto said, “I feel very alone, and I am in constant physical pain. Everything changed that day. I relive that nightmare every single day.”

Barreto spent a year in intensive care, enduring severe pain and undergoing multiple medical procedures. The 29-page lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, demands a jury trial and alleges violations of Barreto’s Fourth Amendment rights, assault and battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The lawsuit references videos posted by Lopez on social media, where he pledged to chase down and jail motorbike riders for popping wheelies, and the death of Jaden Baez, a 20-year-old killed by deputies in a Target parking lot after being accused of stealing Pokémon cards in April 2022.

Barreto’s legal team argues that Lopez “emphasized machismo over reasonable policing and ultimately put the public at risk,” and they are demanding a jury trial.

News 6 has reached out to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office for comment but has not yet received a response.