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OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - A federal judge rejected Osceola County's request to dismiss a lawsuit by a man who was severely burned after deputies tased him at a gas station.
Jean Louis Barreto-Baerga filed a lawsuit against the county and several Osceola County deputies—including suspended sheriff Marcos Lopez—after a 2022 incident that left him severely burned.
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The backstory:
On Feb. 27, 2022, Barreto-Baerga was part of a large memorial ride near La Terraza Sports Bar in Kissimmee.
Around the time the group was in the area, officials received a report of an assault involving someone on a motorcycle about a mile from the sports bar, records show.
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According to court documents, a deputy saw Barreto-Baerga driving on Donegan Road and attempted to stop him. Deputies then began chasing Barreto-Baerga.
The chase ended at a Wawa gas station at John Young Parkway, according to court records. Barreto-Baerga was putting gas in his motorcycle when deputies tackled him, according to the lawsuit. Deputies then tased him twice, igniting the gas and causing an explosion, the lawsuit said.
The fire caused burns on 75% of Barreto-Baerga's body, according to court documents.
During the pursuit, deputies were told that Barreto-Baerga was not the suspect in the assault, and he didn't match the description, court documents said.
The lawsuit alleges that Barreto-Baerga spent a year in the intensive care unit at Orlando Regional Medical Center.
Barreto-Baerga is seeking monetary compensation for damages, cost disbursements and attorney's fees.
The Source: This article was written with information from court records and previous FOX 35 reporting.