Disturbing body camera video has surfaced, showing California police officers tasering, punching, and yanking a man from his vehicle—despite knowing he had just suffered a seizure and crashed his car. Now, the victim, Jack Bruce, is suing the Hercules Police Department, alleging excessive force, false arrest, and violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“Do not f-cking fight us,” one officer screamed as Bruce drifted in and out of consciousness. “You will f-cking get ripped out of this car. We’re not playing. Get the f-ck up.”
Bruce, the son of an inspector in the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office, was accused by officers of being under the influence of drugs. But after an extensive search, no substances were found—prompting one officer to turn off his body camera’s audio, an action that raises serious questions about their intent.
The Crash and Violent Arrest
On April 1, 2024, Bruce was driving on Refugio Valley Road after visiting his grandmother when he suffered a grand mal seizure—his first ever—causing him to lose control of his vehicle and veer off the road. Witnesses immediately called 911, one even running down the embankment to check on him, reporting that he appeared to be convulsing and unresponsive.
Grand mal seizures, also known as tonic-clonic seizures, result in violent muscle contractions, loss of consciousness, and postictal confusion, a period of disorientation and fatigue following the episode.
Despite being informed by dispatch that Bruce had suffered a seizure, the responding officers quickly lost patience. Bodycam footage captured their initial acknowledgment of his medical state:
“Hey Goldstein, you want to wait for fire to try to get him out?” one officer asked, suggesting they allow paramedics to assist him.
“If he’s having a seizure, just let him be,” another officer responded.
Yet within minutes, their approach took a drastic turn. At 1:12 p.m., just five minutes after arriving, officers Angel Garcia, Michael Thompson, and Joshua Goldstein forcibly pulled Bruce from the car, tasering him repeatedly and delivering blows to his face and head.
A Systemic Failure
Bruce’s lawsuit claims the officers ignored their training, which explicitly warns against restraining individuals suffering from seizures. The California Commission on Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) clearly states:
“Do not restrain them. Agitated behavior during an episode should not be perceived as deliberate hostility or resistance to the officer.”
Despite this, Bruce was manhandled, arrested, and transported to a hospital, where toxicology tests confirmed he had no drugs or alcohol in his system—only a trace amount of THC and a sedative administered by paramedics. Further medical testing diagnosed him with epilepsy.
Since the attack, Bruce has suffered additional seizures, forcing him to abandon his career in the trades as he is now medically unfit to drive or work safely.
A Disturbing Pattern of Police Abuse
Bruce’s case isn’t an isolated incident. Last year in Indiana, police responded to a family’s 911 call for help with a loved one suffering a seizure—only to fatally shoot him upon arrival. These alarming incidents highlight a troubling trend of law enforcement failing to properly handle medical emergencies, often escalating situations with violence instead of care.
Bruce’s lawsuit names the city of Hercules and multiple officers as defendants, demanding accountability for their actions. As the case unfolds, it raises urgent questions about law enforcement’s treatment of individuals with medical conditions—and whether systemic changes are needed to prevent more tragedies like this from happening again.
