Jacksonville Sheriff Unveils Bodycam of Officer Punching Driver During Rainy Traffic Stop
Jordan Collins: I suppose you need me to spell this out, so let us dive in.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters has released body camera footage from the February traffic stop where a deputy punched William McNeil after smashing his car window on a rainy night. The video shows McNeil locked inside his vehicle, demanding to know why he was pulled over for allegedly not using headlights in heavy rain, before deputies pry open his door and drag him out by force.
The raw bodycam and McNeil’s own phone recording capture the moment Deputy Bowers punches him in the face, leaving McNeil with a busted lip that’s visible in his subsequent mug shot. According to the arrest report, McNeil was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer without violence. In court, he pleaded guilty to resisting a police officer without violence and driving on a suspended driver’s license.
Sheriff Waters insists no criminal law was violated by his deputies, but an internal investigation is underway to see if department policies were breached. Officer Bowers has been stripped of his law enforcement authority pending that review.
McNeil’s attorney, Harry Daniels, tells TMZ, “He simply asks for a supervisor and then they break his window and beat him yet, somehow, the report failed to mention that. I don’t know which is worse, that this officer clearly tried to justify his illegal brutality with this fabrication or that his supervisors signed off on it.” Daniels argues the official narrative omits the force used before any alleged disobedience.
In the footage, you can see McNeil locking his doors and refusing to comply with deputies’ orders until more officers arrive. As the confrontation escalates, Bowers lifts his fist and strikes McNeil twice in the jaw. The recording from McNeil’s dashboard phone remains steady as he reels back, stunned, then falls to the pavement.
The sheriff’s office says deputies initially pulled McNeil over for failing to engage headlights in the rain, a traffic violation. McNeil counters that he was keeping pace with other cars that night, headlights on, questioning why law enforcement targeted him. He calmly requests a supervisor, assuming protocol will kick in. Instead, the situation turns violent in under two minutes.
Joshua Thomas, another deputy on scene, can be heard on audio urging calm and offering first aid, but the damage is done: McNeil’s lip is split, and his rights are in question. The Sheriff’s Office confirms they will release the full administrative review conclusions to the public once the investigation concludes.
This incident arrives amid nationwide scrutiny over policing tactics during routine stops. Advocates point to this video as further proof that even minor infractions can lead to excessive force. As Sheriff Waters maintains his deputies acted within the law, civil rights groups and local residents await the final policy review with bated breath.
Stay tuned for updates on the administrative findings and any potential departmental reforms that may follow this footage release. Glad I could clear that up for you.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
