A video of a cyclist combusting into flames upon being tased by officers has been released by Arkansas State Police. The suspect was pulled over for not having a license plate and attempted to flee arrest, prompting the trooper to dispatch the stun gun striking his flammable backpack.
Early morning on Thursday, Oct. 13, around 1:18 a.m., while cruising on his motorcycle, Christopher Gaylor was flagged over by an Arkansas State trooper, along Asher Avenue near Pine Street.
The officer tried to stop him from operating the bike without a license plate, but the 38-year-old refused the alert and continued to go, according to 40/29 TV.
Gaylor not only evaded the trooper, but accelerated his speed up to 100 mph in an effort to get away, running through multiple traffic stop signs and red traffic lights. Dangerously, the man is seen weaving around other cars.
During the pursuit, another trooper started tracking Gaylor as he approached Interstate 30. The video follows him through a shopping center and then at one point he jumped off his motorcycle in a residential area in North Lil Rock and tried to escape on foot.
As he ran, troopers followed in close pursuit with one attempting to stop him by using his taser. Unbeknownst to the officers, Gaylor’s bag had a gallon of gasoline in it and exploded upon impact.
The suspect was also consumed by the flames but did not die.
The dashcam from one of the patrol cars captured the troopers yelling out, “He’s on fire,” before using a fire extinguisher to put off the blaze, ABC 57 reports.
He was taken to a local hospital where his injuries were treated. Police state Gaylor is in good condition and is expected to recover.
Now, Gaylor faces felonious charges of fleeing, failure to register a vehicle, no liability insurance, driving with a suspended license and reckless driving.
A state spokesperson, Bill Sadler, stated that none of the officers present IS being investigated for the incident, nor have any of the troopers been disciplined or placed on administrative leave.
Gaylor has not released a statement about his condition or if he plans to retain a lawyer.
