Man Reportedly Covered in Hand Sanitizer Allegedly Burst into Flames After Being Tased by Officers

A 29-year-old Upstate New York man was sent to the hospital in serious condition after he was allegedly tased by police officers and burst into flames last weekend, according to reports.

Jason Jones, 29, allegedly walked into the Catskill Village Police Department and a confrontation with police ensued, the Associated Press reports, citing local newspaper the Times Union.

Police Chief Dave Darling said Officers then allegedly tased Jones to subdue him after he had reportedly covered himself in hand sanitizer, according to the Times Union. Jones allegedly burst into flames after being tased, the outlet reports.

Darling described the situation as “horrible,” the Times Union reports.

“I think they were afraid he was going to hurt himself, and that’s what started it,” Darling told the Times Union. “There are still details that we’re trying to develop.”

Jones “is in an intensive care unit at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse. His condition is grave, according to people briefed on the matter,” the Times Union wrote.

CBS 6 reports the incident took place on Friday, October 29.

Jones’s attorney Kevin Luibrand said he could not comment on what action might be taken going forward and could neither comment as to why his client was inside the department, nor why he was tased, CBS 6 reports.

Luibrand says there was an exchange that occurred that was caught on video, according to CBS 6.

“The goal right now is to preserve whatever evidence there is as to what happened and for he to do his best with doctors to recover as far as he can,” the attorney said, per CBS 6. 

“In a letter to Darling dated Thursday, Luibrand requested that the department preserve all evidence in the case, including audio and video recordings from street cameras and other devices, as well as any computer data from any Tasers that were used during the encounter,” the Times Union wrote. 

Darling said that there are cameras inside of the police station, but his officers are not equipped with body cameras, according to the Times Union. 

Both CBS 6 and the Times Union report that the incident is being investigated by the Green County District Attorney’s Office.