PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — Newly released Putnam County Sheriff’s Office body-worn camera video shows the moments before and after a pipe bomb exploded on a deputy in April.
Action News Jax told you when Charles Legault of Crescent City, was stopped for a traffic violation on Fri., April 5 at the intersection of Moseley Avenue and U.S. 17 in Palatka.
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You can watch the full video from the traffic stop below (WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE, Viewer discretion advised):
Sgt. Ryan Owens was searching the vehicle when a makeshift “pipe bomb” discharged, releasing a white substance on Owens. It was later determined to be chlorine and brake fluid cleaner.
The video, which is about 16 minutes long, starts with Owens asking Legault, “Whose tag is on this car?”
Legault replies and said it’s his ex-wife’s tag and he sends her money every month. Owens tells Legault that the tag is not registered to the truck.
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“Don’t even tell me that,” Legault said.
Owens asks Legault where he was coming from and Legault had to look on his phone to answer that question.
“Anything in the car I need to know about -- guns, drugs, bombs, dope?” Owens asks.
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Legault said he had a .22 pistol on his seat. Owens then asks again if Legault has drugs in the truck.
Owens: “No dope or nothing in the car?”
Legault: “No.”
Owens: “You don’t use drugs?”
Legault: “No.”
Owens: “Have you ever?”
Legault: “I smoke weed, yeah.”
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Legault told Owens that he might find “a couple roaches” if he searched the car.
The video shows Owens ends up finding “dime bags” and a methamphetamine pipe during his search. Legault then admits to Owens that he smoked meth the previous night.
Owens then pulls the pipe bomb device out and the sound on the video goes quiet as he is holding it up. It then explodes as he is leaning over the front seat.
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“What the (expletive)?” Owens yells as he is heard trying to spit out what he ingested.
“You got a fire extinguisher?” Legault yells back. “What the hell was that?”
Legault said he thought it was the airbag that went off.
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“What the (expletive) was that, man?” Owens yells at Legault.
“I don’t know!” Legault replies.
Legault extends a bottle of water to Owens, and Owens throws it back in the bed of Legault’s truck. Owens then handcuffs Legault and can be heard coughing.
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“What the hell was that?” Legault asks after he is handcuffed.
“(Expletive) if I know! How the (expletive) would, how the (expletive) you think I would know?” Owens snaps back.
Another deputy arrives on the scene and Owens said, “Something (expletive) blew up all over me.”
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Owens drinks and spits back out water a few times to get the taste of the substance out of his mouth.
He tells the other deputy that whatever the substance is is in his lungs and eyes.
Owens takes his body-worn camera off and he can be heard coughing. A white substance can be seen on Owens’ pants.
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Action News Jax told you that Owens’ vest took a bulk of the shrapnel that flew during the explosion. He was left with the powder on his face as he breathed it in. Owens was sent to the hospital for several hours and went through extensive testing. He was able to make a full recovery.
After the traffic stop, Legault’s home was searched. Some of the charges he faces include intent to sell meth, maintaining a drug dwelling, armed trafficking of methamphetamine, and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.
Legault is set to appear in court for a pre-trial conference on Tuesday at 9 a.m.
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