West Fork police officer arrested, faces negligent homicide charge after tasing incident
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WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A West Fork police officer has been arrested and faces a charge of negligent homicide after a man died following a tasing incident at a traffic stop on December 29.
Christopher David Cordeiro, 34, of Prairie Grove, was arrested Thursday for negligent homicide, a Class A misdemeanor. Cordeiro was booked at 5:12 p.m. and released from the Washington County jail at 5:38 p.m. on a $5,000 bond.
According to an affidavit, Cordeiro was conducting a traffic stop on Dec. 29, 2022, for someone driving on a suspended license.
When Cordeiro opened the vehicle door and made contact with them, they were eating pasta out of a can. The victim explained that they were diabetic, that their blood sugar was low, and that they needed to finish their food.
Cordeiro reportedly told the victim multiple times to get out of the car, but they refused.
The affidavit says that Cordeiro then physically removed the victim, warning that he would use his Taser if they didn’t comply.
The victim then told the officer that they had a heart condition. The officer tased them when they didn’t put their hands behind their back, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit says the victim continued to not put their hands behind their back and was tased multiple times.
Cordeiro called for backup and the victim claimed that they couldn’t breathe.
The affidavit says that the last thing the suspect could be heard saying was that he was dying.
When backup arrived, the victim was face-down in a ditch. Their arms were restrained by Cordeiro, and his knee was on the victim’s upper back.
The victim was unresponsive and one of the backup officers checked for a pulse and found none.
The officers reportedly attempted lifesaving measures before paramedics arrived. He was pronounced dead.
An autopsy was performed and the medical examiner determined that a combination of heart disease and methamphetamine intoxication, along with physical exertion, struggle and restraint were all contributing factors to the victim’s death.
The medical examiner also stated that the victim had injuries consistent with the use of a Taser, which the examiner believes also played a role in the victim’s death.
A review of the Taser shows that it was deployed nine times; seven times for a total of five seconds each, one time for six seconds and one time for two seconds.
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