Jack Bruce was driving to his Hercules, California home last April when he experienced his first seizure. The seizure was so unexpected and intense, it caused Bruce to crash his car. A good Samaritan called in the crash, reporting that Bruce seized while driving.
“I just remember going to visit my grandmother, and when I left that house, my memory cut off,” Bruce told NBC Bay Area.
When police arrived, despite being warned that he’d suffered a seizure, three officers began to pressure Bruce to get out of the car. One officer’s body camera showed him from the backseat, pushing a taser against Bruce’s slumped back.
“You’re going to get tased, dude, get out of the car!” yelled the officer. Within seconds, he deployed the taser, sending Bruce to the ground. Another officer tased him and began pulling his hair, arms, and legs to get him to comply.
Another officer was recorded punching Bruce in the face multiple times when he failed to respond.
Bruce doesn’t remember the seizure or the beating – only the pain
When Bruce was finally taken to a local hospital, he couldn’t remember the crash, the officers, or being beaten bloody. He regained consciousness from his hospital bed, and couldn’t recognize himself in the mirror.
“Tons of pain, I would say, the worst pain I’ve ever been in in my life,” Bruce told the outlet. “All busted up, it wasn’t a pretty sight to look at. No one deserves to go through that… I’m just having a medical emergency. I had no ill intent or anything like that.”
After fully recovering, Bruce contacted his lawyer, David Fiol, who said the department grossly mishandled the incident.
“The treatment for a seizure is time,” he said. “In the space of 10 minutes, based on his subsequent seizures, he would’ve been fine. He would’ve walked out of that car on his own power… Instead, he was tased three times, not only that, he was punched in the face twice by the admission of one of the officers who did it.”
The DA tossed the case, but Bruce still hopes for change
Unfortunately for Bruce and Fiol, the lawsuit was dismissed by the District Attorney. Bruce has recovered, but the wounds still sting – just not physically.
“I’m hurt mentally. Physically, just watching it makes me hurt,” he said. “It’s just something no one should go through, and I don’t want it to happen again… I’ve never had any runs with the police. My view doesn’t change on the police. They’re not trying to do something bad. They just did the wrong thing here.”
He didn’t see financial compensation for his experience, but he does hope the legal pursuit prompts change or training in the department.
