News footage of a memorial in Orlando, Fla. for Gerald Neal, who was killed when he was struck by a vehicle that was pursued by police (WFTV).
A Florida police detective is on paid leave following the death of a pedestrian, who was killed after being struck by a vehicle that was being pursued for an “unreadable license plate.”
On the night of Feb. 12, a police pursuit of a suspect ended in a car crash that killed Gerald Neal, 56, who was homeless and often seen by people in the neighborhood at an Orlando intersection. According to police records obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Police Detective Christopher Moulton was driving an unmarked police truck when he pursued 30-year-old Dornell Bargnare, who was allegedly driving a car with an “unreadable license plate.” The “high-speed” chase ended when Bargnare crashed his car into a utility pole, allegedly hitting Neal. According to the affidavit, Moulton’s vehicle also allegedly hit Neal.
The reason for the car chase, according to the affidavit, did not meet the requirements for such a pursuit. An investigation by WESH, a local NBC affiliate, found that the only kind of suspected infraction that satisfied the protocol of the kind of chase that Moulton pursued was a “forcible felony,” such as murder, armed robbery, or aggravated assault. Moulton was pursuing Bargnare based on a suspected traffic infraction.
Surveillance footage from the crash, as well as witness statements, may have uncovered another alleged violation of protocol by Moulton. The video from the moments leading up to and including the crash shows Moulton exiting his vehicle as he chased after Bargnare on foot. Moulton’s unmarked vehicle did not display any flashing lights, which would have been required. Witnesses also did not hear sirens, and only heard the sounds of tires screeching and the crash itself.
The arrest report for Bargnare stated that Moulton’s lights and sirens were on. WESH reviewed the Orlando Police Department’s 13-page policy on vehicle chases, which read, “Unmarked vehicles equipped with emergency equipment (lights and sirens) may initiate or engage in vehicle pursuits when marked units are not readily available.”
The department told WESH in an emailed statement that it is conducting a “full and thorough internal investigation.” Moulton was placed on paid leave while the investigation took place.
