Eduardo Garcia Fontanez (41), the victim, was riding a bicycle a block away from his home at 400 block of North Seventh Street. He heard someone yelling “stop”, but he wasn’t aware it was a police officer, since it was dark.
The next thing he felt was electric shock from Taser. Fontanez crashed his bike, and as he was lying on the street, he felt another Taser shock before he was punched in the head, face and body several times.
Police officer Ryan Murray and an unidentified officer attempted to stop Fontanez for riding without headlight. Murray and other officer Tasered cyclist twice and then beat him until he was knocked unconscious!
Fernandez was arrested, and later was treated at Sacred Heart Hospital since he suffered head, facial and body injuries.
According to officer Murray, Fontanez was riding a bicycle at night without headlight, so he tried to stop him and write him a ticket. Since Fontanez tried to fled, forcing pedestrians to jump out of the sidewalk, Murray and other officer chased him until he crashed his bike. Then, officers used “reasonable amount of force” to place Fontanez in handcuffs. Murray didn’t mention Tasering the cyclist or beating him.
Among Fontanez’s medical records after his arrest were burns from the Taser probes.
Fontanez is filing a lawsuit against these officers.