Man suffering a seizure gets tased by police who knew he was experiencing a medical episode, then they fabricated a report claiming he was intoxicated

February 11, 2025 Gloria Shaw

Jack Bruce, a California man, has filed a lawsuit against the Hercules Police Department and three officers, alleging false arrest and excessive force after he crashed his car into a 20-foot ditch while experiencing a seizure.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in the U.S. Northern District of California, stems from an incident on April 1. Bruce was driving home from visiting his grandmother when he had his first-ever seizure, veering off the road into an embankment. Witnesses who saw what happened came to his aid, called 911, and informed dispatchers that he was suffering from a seizure.

When police and firefighters arrived, Bruce appeared barely conscious and was unable to respond coherently. Initially, Officer Joshua Goldstein instructed responders to leave Bruce alone, acknowledging his medical condition. However, the situation quickly escalated.

According to the lawsuit, officers ignored their training, which advises against restraining seizure victims due to their instinctive reactions to physical contact. Instead, they repeatedly poked, prodded, shook and yelled at Bruce, demanding that he exit his vehicle.

Bodycam footage captured officers shouting, “Get out of the car,” “We wanna help you, but do not f—ing fight,” and “You will get f—ing ripped out of this car.” Bruce, appearing disoriented, had to be forcibly removed.

The lawsuit highlights that California’s police training standards instruct officers to expect agitated behavior from seizure victims and not interpret it as hostility or resistance. Despite this, Officers Goldstein, Angel Garcia and Michael Thompson allegedly ignored protocol.

Bruce’s attorneys, Craig M. Peters of Altair Law and David L. Fiol of Brent & Fiol, claim officers used excessive force. Garcia pulled Bruce out by his hair while Goldstein grabbed his arms. Thompson assisted in dragging Bruce out of the car and onto the ground.

The officers then tased him as he screamed in pain before restraining him, lifting him by his arms and legs, and placing him on a gurney. Bruce sustained a lacerated lip, cuts, bruises and a bloodied shirt.

Following the incident, Thompson speculated that Bruce was under the influence, stating, “He must be high on something.” Garcia agreed, responding, “He’s high as f— on something, I just don’t know what it is.”

Bruce’s attorneys accuse the officers of fabricating a report to justify their actions, falsely suggesting he was driving under the influence. However, no drugs or alcohol were found in his car.

Bruce was arrested for resisting arrest, but prosecutors later dropped the charges. His lawsuit argues that the officers had no probable cause to suspect criminal activity or impairment, especially since witnesses had already informed dispatchers that Bruce was experiencing a seizure.