By: Chris Brunner
After the April incident outside of a McDonald’s where a teen was tackled, pepper-sprayed, and struck, the State Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday it was charging the three deputies involved.
The following three deputies Sergeant Gregory LaCerra, Deputy Christopher Krickovich, and Deputy Ralph Mackey. LaCerra was charged with two counts of battery for spraying the teen with pepper spray and throwing him to the pavement. He was also charged with one count of falsifying records and another count of conspiracy to falsify records for “falsifying the description of the circumstances” of the teen’s arrest.
Krickovich was charged with two counts of battery for slamming the teen’s head to the pavement and punching him in the head, the sheriff’s office said. Mackey, as well as the other two, was charged with one count of falsifying records and another count of conspiracy to falsify records for falsifying the description of the circumstances of the teen’s arrest.
Following the announcement, Sheriff Gregory Tony immediately suspended the three deputies without pay, and until the criminal case concludes, the Broward Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs case remains open.
On April 18, the Tamarac Crime Suppression Team Detectives responded to the Tamarac Town Square Plaza at 8301 N. Pine Island Road regarding a fight after school, where a day prior, a large fight that resulted in property damage to an innocent bystander’s vehicle occurred.
The video of the deputy using excessive force on the male went viral.