Man injured in violent Florida traffic stop seeks support through GoFundMe

A Florida man is seeking public support after a routine traffic stop ended in a violent encounter with sheriff’s deputies, leaving him with serious injuries and mounting medical bills.

Violent traffic stop in Florida

On the night of Feb. 19, William McNeil Jr. was pulled over by law enforcement in Orlando for driving without headlights.

McNeil, 22, says it wasn’t raining, and several other drivers didn’t have their headlights on. Still, sheriff’s deputies singled him out. When he asked to speak with a supervisor, the situation escalated quickly. Deputies shattered his car window, struck him in the face, dragged him from the vehicle, and placed him under arrest.

The altercation left McNeil with a chipped tooth, a concussion, and lingering memory loss, as well as significant expenses related to medical treatment and lost wages.

McNeil captured the violent encounter using his dash camera. On July 20, his attorneys, Ben Crump and Harry Daniels, released the footage publicly. Within hours, the video spread rapidly across social media, igniting widespread attention and outrage.

A biology major and dedicated member of the Livingstone College band, McNeil recently spoken out publicly about the traumatic incident.

In a press conference, standing alongside his family and legal counsel, McNeil said he was just really scared and wanted answers as to why he was stopped.

GoFundMe created for support

In response, McNeil has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to cover basic living expenses and medical costs while he recovers. The campaign details his physical and emotional injuries and the financial strain caused by the incident.

“Every day feels uncertain,” McNeil wrote on the fundraising page. “I’m just trying to rebuild my life.”

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that it had launched an internal investigation.

To support McNeil’s recovery efforts, donations can be made directly through his GoFundMe page, where he continues to share updates on his health and progress.