A Louisiana sheriff's office determined that deputies shown on dash cam video beating a 12-year-old boy allegedly over how he rode a dirt bike were justified. The child’s attorney, Ryan Thompson, recently released video of the February incident on Instagram. 

Although the deputies’ vehicle blocked the bottom portion of the video, it appeared to show Plaquemines Parish Deputy Sheriff Anthony Dugas “violently” throwing the child on the ground and Deputy Joseph Francis kicking the child repeatedly, Thompson said.

The attorney and the child’s family are calling for Dugas and Francis to be fired.

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Thompson said in the Instagram post that his client was riding his motor bike when deputies tried to stop the child, allegedly due to traffic violations.

"After pulling to the side of the road, stopping his bike and turning off the engine, Sgt. Dugas snatches my 5'4 135lbs 12 year old client off his bike and violently slams him to the ground," Thompson said. While Dugas reportedly laid on top of the child, Francis ran over to "violently" kick and stomp on the boy, "rendering him unconscious," the attorney added.

The Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office reported its version of what happened in a news release. Authorities alleged that deputies were responding to calls of multiple ATVs, four-wheelers, and an off-road dirt bike without functioning headlights "operating in a reckless manner endangering motorists" on Feb. 19. When deputies arrived to the scene on Woodland Highway, they allegedly tried to stop the ATVs using "visual and audible signals" and the drivers "refused to stop," the sheriff's office said.

“During the course of the incident, all the four-wheelers and the dirt bike created a public safety hazard by blatantly disregarding numerous traffic laws designed for commuters to travel without fear of their safety. The actions committed by the operators of these vehicles include, but are not limited to - disregarding functioning traffic signals (red lights), crossing lanes into oncoming traffic, traveling after dusk without headlights, failure to yield to oncoming traffic, leaving the roadway onto the sidewalk and entering private property and disregarding speed laws. The actions by these individuals were compounded as they refused to comply to all reasonable demands to cease their actions by multiple deputies. Of the five ATVs involved in this incident, two apprehensions were made while the other three evaded deputies and exited the parish. On the day of the incident, this investigation was immediately posted on our social media platforms and was not reported by local media (see attached screenshot of PPSO post).”

Jaiques Wilson, one of the drivers, was accused of triggering a crash and running from police. He pleaded guilty to aggravated obstruction of a highway, aggravated criminal damage, and aggravated flight from an officer and was sentenced to probation, according to the sheriff's office.

As for the 12-year-old, the sheriff’s office said:

“The case is still currently in the adjudication process. Therefore, we are limited on the information that can be released.” 

The statement then proceeded to make a case for why beating the child was warranted. “The juvenile male, who was taller than most deputies that were on the scene and wearing a full-face helmet, was apprehended after his dirt bike became disabled despite his attempts to continue to flee from deputies,” the sheriff’s office said. “He refused reasonable demands to get off of the dirt bike which led to him physically struggling with deputies while avoiding attempts to be handcuffed.

“Deputies proceeded to use necessary force to effect the arrest. The juvenile was charged with two felonies, two misdemeanors including resisting arrest and traffic violations.”

Deputies took the child to lockup to be booked and did not have him taken to a hospital because, as the sheriff's office put it, he "did not complain of any injuries."

The child’s father said in footage released by Thompson: “I don’t think they should go to work every morning acting like they’re protecting and serving out here.”

Warning: This video contains violent footage that may be triggering.