An innocent New Jersey man kicked and dragged by officers after the subject of a police chase crashed into his car, causing it to burst into flames, is speaking out about his ordeal.
Miguel Feliz, 28, of West New York, suffered burns over about 30 percent of his body, WABC in New York reported. He also had broken ribs and facial injuries from his encounter with police officers, which occurred the night of June 4.
A witness captured the aftermath of the fiery crash on cellphone video, which Feliz told WABC "gives (him) goosebumps."
"It brings me back," Feliz said in Spanish. "I was in a lot of pain because of the burns. When the seatbelt wouldn't come off, I closed my eyes and saw my family, my son."
Feliz was on his way home from work when his car was struck by a vehicle driven by Leo Pinkston, 48, of Jersey City, the news station reported. Pinkston had led Jersey City officers on a six-mile pursuit before the crash.
During that pursuit, Pinkston was involved in another, less serious crash. Officers also fired several shots at Pinkston during the pursuit, authorities said.
The witness’ cellphone video shows the aftermath of Pinkston’s fiery crash with Feliz in graphic detail. Feliz can be seen rolling away from his blazing car, his body in flames. Rolling on the ground eventually put out the fire.
Watch the cellphone footage below. Warning: The video may be disturbing to some viewers.
As Feliz frantically tries to douse the flames, about half a dozen police officers can be seen approaching him, some with their guns drawn. The critically-injured man is kneeling and about to fall over in apparent pain when the first officer walks up and kicks him.
At least one other officer can be seen kicking him as the others look on. The officers then drag him into the middle of the street.
The man who recorded the incident, Erick Roberto, can be heard pleading with the officers as they kick Feliz.
“Help him out,” Roberto says. “Help him out.”
Roberto told WABC that he was upset by what he witnessed.
"I don't got nothing against the cops, but that wasn't the proper way to treat anybody in that kind of situation," Roberto said.
Almost immediately after the video, first obtained by Univision, became public, Jersey City officials released statements voicing concern over the officers' actions, according to NJ.com.
"We have serious concerns about the conduct of this pursuit. However, we are reserving judgment until the conclusion of the prosecutor's investigation," city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said.
Hudson County prosecutor Esther Suarez said in a statement that, after watching the video, her office was certain that the man being kicked was an innocent bystander and not Pinkston, who ultimately was charged with aggravated assault and eluding police, NJ.com said.
Jersey City officials said shortly after the crash that they were working to identify the officers who kicked Feliz. Morrill told NJ.com that the city sought to fire the officers and press charges against them.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop also indicated in a tweet that the actions on the video were “unacceptable.”
The Bergen Record reported the week after the crash that four Jersey City officers, Lt. Keith Ludwig and Officers M.D. Kahn, Erik Kosinski and Francisco Rodriguez, were suspended indefinitely. Deputy chiefs of patrol and investigation were also transferred to new assignments.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said during a news conference that the preliminary investigation found that the officers and supervisors acted “outside of their guidelines and training.”
Fulop also said that there were "several clear violations" during the pursuit and aftermath of the crash, the Record reported. Those violations included allowing the pursuit to last as long as it did, setting up a roadblock and firing shots at Pinkston's moving vehicle.
Carmine Disbrow, president of the city's police union, accused the mayor of not allowing a full and impartial investigation to take place, the Record said. Disbrow also defended the officers to NJ.com, saying that the video "clearly shows that the officers acted quickly to extinguish the flames and pull this man out of harm's way."
Suarez issued a news release on June 19 announcing that the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office had joined the investigation into the officers' conduct.
"This cooperative, multi-agency effort will provide that which justice demands -- a fair, expeditious, thorough and impartial determination of all facts," Suarez said in the release. "I continue to ask the public for patience as we review this matter in its entirety."
The investigation is still ongoing.
Meanwhile, Feliz continues to recover from the injuries he suffered. WABC reported that he has scars across his back, hands and knee and that, some days, the pain is unbearable.
"I feel a lot of pain," Feliz told WABC. "I wake up every night like I'm on fire or being kicked."
He said he remembered escaping his car and seeing police approaching.
“I remember thinking, ‘Finally, they’re going to help me,’” Feliz told the news station. “But it was completely the opposite.”
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