The Arkansas State Police used a taser on a man wearing a backpack containing a gallon of gasoline when he was tased, causing him to be engulfed by a fireball. Despite his injuries, the man is expected to recover.
It occurred around 1:18 a.m. on October 13 when a state trooper in Little Rock attempted to pull over a motorcycle without a license plate.
The rider refused to stop for the police. Police identified the suspect as thirty-eight-year-old Christopher Gaylor, who fled on his motorcycle at speeds approaching 100 mph.
According to the police, “He ignored multiple traffic stop signs and traffic lights as he worked his way toward Interstate 30, where a second state trooper encountered the motorcyclist.”
It has been reported that he jumped off his motorcycle and ran through a residential area after getting off the freeway. As a trooper tried to stop Gaylor, he used a taser, which resulted in a fireball engulfing the suspect. As seen on the dashboard camera video, troopers used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames after shouting, “he’s on fire.”
NBC reported that a medical ambulance was dispatched after troopers suppressed the fire with a fire extinguisher.
According to the police, Gaylor was in possession of approximately one gallon of gasoline in a backpack at the time of his arrest.
Gaylor is recovering well in the hospital, according to the police.
The police have charged Gaylor with felony fleeing, failure to register a vehicle, no liability insurance, driving with a suspended license, and reckless driving.
According to state spokesperson Bill Sadler, no Arkansas State Police personnel are currently under investigation or on administrative leave due to the incident.
According to Arkansas state police, Gaylor did not indicate that he had an accelerant in his backpack.
Sadler said, “Before the electronic control device ( the taser) was deployed, Mr. Gaylor could have chosen at any moment during the vehicular pursuit, or in the seconds after he abandoned the motorcycle to comply with the traffic stop or orders to stop while on foot.”