Elderly man says he was unfairly Tased

From KOB-TV.com - Only on Eyewitness News 4, an elderly man is on the phone with 911 when he’s Tased by a Sandoval County Sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop. Kenneth Lucas, 76, has been charged with disobeying an officer and reckless driving from the incident. He appeared in court Tuesday. Lucas says he didn’t do anything wrong to be pulled over, let alone Tased and arrested. He fears he could have died if both prongs of the Taser had latched correctly. “Get back in the vehicle, close the door. Get back in the car, close the door. Get back in the car, close the door. Get back in the car. Get down. Get down. Get on the ground,” Sandoval County Deputy Gilbert Sanchez can be overheard shouting on his lapel camera video during the October 2010 traffic stop. “He just shot me,” Lucas is overheard saying to an open cell phone he dropped during the encounter with the deputy. Lucas was on the phone with 911 when he was Tased. “Why didn’t you obey when I told you to get back in your vehicle?” the deputy says. “I didn’t see you say that or hear you say that,” said Lucas. The 76-year-old driver told the court that he never heard the deputy shouting at him. On the video you can hear the deputy repeating himself several times because Lucas can’t hear the commands. Outside the courtroom, Lucas told KOB that he called 911 because he wasn’t sure why he was being pulled over. “I’m thinking somebody’s commandeered this vehicle and they’re going to kill me and take my vehicle or something,” Lucas explained. Defense attorney Lisa Torraco calls this excessive use of force. Lucas had to go to the emergency room for chest pains and says the deputy was in a rage. Lucas says he feels betrayed by law enforcement. “You know, I’ve never had a traffic citation. I’ve never had a court. I’ve never had never even a misdemeanor and here I am,” he’s overheard saying in the video. read more

Elderly man says he was unfairly Tased