With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
Man who led deputies on horse chase charged with multiple felonies
Francis Jared Pusok, 30, of Apple Valley has been charged with 11 felonies and three misdemeanor counts in the April 9 pursuit.
(
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department
)
A man who led San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies on a three-hour chase last month and whose subsequent beating was filmed by a news helicopter has been charged with multiple counts in the pursuit.
Francis Jared Pusok, 30, of Apple Valley has been charged with 11 felonies and three misdemeanor counts in the April 9 pursuit, including evading an officer, resisting arrest and cruelty to an animal.
San Bernardino Sheriff's deputies were following up on an identity theft investigation in Apple Valley when Pusok fled the residence in a car.
He led authorities on a pursuit before abandoning the vehicle and stealing a horse belonging to passersby.
Support for LAist comes from
Pusok eventually fell off the horse. He was immediately tased, punched and kicked by several deputies while on the ground and appearing to surrender.
An NBC 4 news helicopter had been filming the chase when the beating occurred.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, opened investigations into the beating.
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors announced less than two weeks later it would pay Pusok $650,000 to settle brutality allegations against the deputies involved.
Jolene Rhonda Ruth Bindner, Pusok's girlfriend, was also charged with three felony counts for allegedly receiving stolen property, including a U-Haul trailer.
Pusok is currently out on $650,000 bail. His arraignment is scheduled for June 16, 2015.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 19 years, 4 months in state prison, according to a press release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
Support for LAist comes from
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight. -
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious. -
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress. -
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent. -
Kevin Lacy has an obsession with documenting California’s forgotten and decaying places. -
Restaurants share resources in the food hall in West Adams as Los Angeles reckons with increasing restaurant closures.
Best of LAist