According to Arkansas State Police, an Arkansas man was engulfed by a fireball after he was tased by state police while wearing a backpack with gasoline inside, causing him to be engulfed by a fireball.
On October 13, around 1:18 a.m., an Arkansas state trooper tried to stop a motorcycle in Little Rock that had no visible license plate, according to a news release.
The rider, identified by state police as Christopher Gaylor, 38, drove off at speeds approaching 100 miles per hour, disregarding multiple traffic stop signs and lights as he made his way to Interstate 30, where a second state trooper encountered him.
Following his exit from the freeway, he jumped from the motorcycle and fled in a residential area.
During an attempt to apprehend Gaylor, a trooper deployed a taser, which caused a fireball to envelop Gaylor.
The dash cam video shows troopers shouting “he’s on fire,” and then using a fire extinguisher to douse the flames. State police said the officers provided medical assistance while an ambulance was dispatched.
“The investigation revealed Gaylor was carrying approximately 1 gallon of gasoline in a backpack,” the statement reads.
It has been reported that Gaylor is in good condition at the hospital and is expected to recover soon.
According to the state police statement, he faces felony fleeing, failure to register a vehicle, no liability insurance, driving with a suspended license, and reckless driving charges.
According to Arkansas State Police spokesperson Bill Sadler, no one has been placed on administrative leave or disciplined over the incident.
In addition to not stating that he carried an accelerant in his backpack during his escape, Gaylor’s backpack did not have a placard indicating it contained an accelerant, according to state police.