Florida Sheriff Forced to Pay $15M to Family of Teen Killed in Traffic Accident
A Florida sheriff has been ordered by a jury to pay $15 million to the parents of Andrew Joseph III, a teen who died while crossing a highway after deputies kicked him out of a state fair, according to The Associated Press. Joseph’s family attorney said Andrew should’ve never been put in such a “vulnerable situation.”
In February 2014, Joseph went to Student Day at the state fair when deputies arrived in response to a disturbance. The former deputy claimed a group of kids were “wilding,” stealing from vendors and damaging stands, per Tampa Bay Times. Multiple teens were detained including a few of Joseph’s friends. When he tried to hand one of them their hat, he was also detained.
After being released from the processing area, he and another 12-year-old boy were threatened not to exit through the fair. The only other way to the main gate was across the interstate.
