2 Lake County deputies off job after stun gun accidentally used on school employee

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Two Lake County deputies are off the job after investigators said they accidentally used a stun gun on a teacher and tried to cover it up.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Deputy Raymond Mattiucci, who was acting as a school resource officer during the January incident, had taken the Taser out to show it off.

Officials said Mattiucci was trying to explain that the Taser is effective from about 25 feet, when he accidentally hit the trigger and deployed the weapon.

The employee fell and broke his wrist.

Instead of reporting the incident, Mattiucci, with the help of Deputy Darrell Blanton, tried to cover it up, investigators said.

“The school employee had asked what the range of that particular Taser was and he had taken it out and turned the power on, and was showing it to him and his finger accidentally hit the trigger,” said Jim Vachon of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators said security monitor Jerome Scot was hit.

“Steps were taken to keep out supervisors from finding out about it and ultimately we did anyway,” said Vachon.

About a week later, deputies said a school secretary reported the incident to the principal, who contacted the Sheriff’s Office.

An internal investigation was launched and in the end, officials said Blanton was terminated.

Mattiucci resigned before he was terminated.

Cox Media Group