Brisbane officer captured punching and tasering motorist
Footage of a brutal altercation between a police officer and a motorist has surfaced online following a catastrophic three-car crash.
The Queensland Police officer is captured on video punching the motorist through the window of his car in Strathpine in Brisbane’s north.
Police allege the “highly agitated” man was drinking from a wine bottle and was under the influence when the officer arrived on the scene.
“After the officer attempted to take the bottle away several times, it was allegedly thrown towards him,” a Queensland Police spokesperson said.
“After giving numerous directions for the man to remain in the car, it will be alleged he continued to attempt to leave the vehicle by kicking the door into the officer, who used physical force to contain the man in the vehicle.”
The heated exchange occurred around 1:45pm on June 22 after a collision at the intersection of Gympie and Samsonvale roads.
The officer is seen in the video approaching the passenger side of a white car where the motorist tries to leave the vehicle through the open window.
The officer is then seen grabbing at an object the motorist is holding, which police allege was a wine bottle, before allegedly hitting him multiple times.
The video shows the man retreat inside the car before making another attempt to exit through the window, where he is then struck again.
The motorist falls back again before trying to exit for a third time, blocked once again by the officer.
Police allege the man continued to try and leave the car and “after several verbal warnings, a taser was deployed”.
“Additional officers arrived on scene and another officer was allegedly spat on by the man,” the spokesperson said.
The man has since been taken to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital while in custody to treat minor wounds.
The scene was not short of witnesses, with several firefighters seen approaching the officer.
“He needs to stop,” the woman filming the clip is heard saying.
“Stop hitting him!”
Senior police have reviewed body cam footage of the altercation as investigations continue.
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