Sarasota Deputy subject of internal investigation - WFLA-TV Newschannel 8

Sarasota Deputy subject of internal investigation

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Sarasota Deputy Dominic Fornal can be heard making unkind remarks about a passenger in a DUI crash Sarasota Deputy Dominic Fornal can be heard making unkind remarks about a passenger in a DUI crash
SARASOTA COUNTY, FL -

A Florida highway patrol dash-mounted camera captured the conversation. "this idiot was f****** stumbling around off the passenger side."university parkway, November 21st of last year. The FHP mic and camera recorded Sarasota Deputy Dominic Fornal talking to a trooper about passenger Erich Zimmer. "Retard was back up there talking to him. So, I just f****** grabbed him up. If he gets up again, I told him he's going to jail. This dumb f****** retard."

Attorney Annemarie Rizzo represents the driver of the car, not the passenger, but she may use the tape if the driver's DUI case goes to trial. "The Deputy's conduct, I believe was in appropriate. It was surprising" said Rizzo. "In this particular situation I think that Mr. Zimmer's rights were violated. He was a passenger. He wasn't doing anything wrong. He was sitting on the side of the road. >

Dazed and upset by the crash, the driver's attorney says Zimmer had a reason to have be emotional. " He has PTSD and some severe anxiety as a result of his mom dying in a car crash" said Rizzo.

 A Sheriff's office spokesperson says,  while an internal affairs investigation is ongoing, it appears that the deputy violated general orders, but not so severely as to warrant administrative action.The sheriff spokesperson says no complaint has been filed.

The Sarasota Sheriff will decide if deputy Fornal will be disciplined for his demeanor.

 

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