A February traffic stop in Jacksonville went viral after a bystander’s dashcam captured a sheriff’s deputy smashing a car window and punching 22-year-old William McNeil Jr., a Black man, in the face.
The incident began when McNeil questioned why he was pulled over for having headlights off during daylight and asked to speak to a supervisor. He complied with hands raised, but deputies forcibly removed him—breaking the window, hitting him, and dragging him out—resulting in a concussion, chipped tooth, wrist injuries, and short-term memory loss.
McNeil later pleaded guilty to resisting arrest without violence and driving on a suspended license.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters says the stop escalated after McNeil refused multiple commands to exit and allegedly reached for a knife on the passenger floorboard.
While the State Attorney cleared the officer of criminal wrongdoing, an internal administrative review is ongoing.
Civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels, who are representing McNeil, argue the force was excessive and part of a broader pattern of police violence.