A trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol has been fired after an investigation into the tasing of a teenager that was captured on camera last year.
Cameras captured Trooper George Smyrnios tasing 16-year-old Jack Rodeman behind a home in the Timberlake community of San Carlos Park.
The trooper said he tased Rodeman because the teen refused to put his hands over his head.
Rodeman fell backwards after being tased and hit his head on a concrete fire pit in the backyard of the home belonging to his girlfriend.
According to the incident report, Smyrnios began following Rodeman because "his behavior, demeanor, and body language appeared to be a burglar.”
Smyrnios claimed Rodeman evaded him by “darting” through a line of bushes separating homes and the entrance to the Timberlake community.
Rodeman was charged with failure to obey a law enforcement officer, possession of marijuana under 20 grams, resisting arrest without violence, loitering, and prowling.
The State Attorney’s Office dropped the charges against Rodeman.
Smyrnios was relieved of his duties following the investigation.
Charges against the trooper were also dropped.