Prosecutors Decide No Charges for Jacksonville Deputy in Arrest of William McNeil

A Jacksonville, Florida, sheriff’s deputy will not face criminal prosecution after being recorded striking a driver during a February arrest that began as a traffic stop. Prosecutors made the decision public on Wednesday, confirming that the incident did not meet the threshold for criminal charges.

The case involves the arrest of 22-year-old William McNeil Jr., which occurred on February 19. Details of the review were included in a 16-page memorandum issued by the State Attorney’s Office for the 4th Judicial Circuit, which has jurisdiction over Clay, Duval, and Nassau counties in Florida. The memorandum explained the evidence considered, the legal standards applied, and the reasoning behind the decision to clear the deputy of criminal wrongdoing.

According to the memorandum, the review sought to determine whether any of Officer [D.] Bowers’ actions during the stop constituted a criminal offense. “We conclude they do not,” the document stated. It went on to outline a timeline of events, noting that Officer Bowers lawfully initiated the traffic stop and issued a total of 12 separate lawful commands to McNeil. The commands included requests for standard driving documents such as identification, registration, and proof of insurance.

The memorandum stated that McNeil declined to comply with each of these requests. In addition, McNeil reportedly refused multiple orders to exit his SUV, to display his hands for officer safety, and to follow further instructions at the scene. Prosecutors noted that McNeil’s repeated insistence on speaking with a supervisor and his arguments regarding the validity of the stop did not remove his legal obligation to obey the instructions given. These actions, the memorandum said, created what was described as a “dangerous situation for all involved.”

The incident gained public attention when McNeil’s own cellphone recording of the encounter was posted online, where it quickly went viral. In response to the public reaction, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office launched an internal investigation. As part of that process, the agency released body-worn camera recordings from three different deputies who were present during the arrest, allowing for a broader review of the events from multiple angles.

The prosecutor’s conclusion emphasized that while the use of force was documented on video, it fell within the boundaries of lawful police conduct under the circumstances. The memorandum did not recommend any criminal charges against Officer Bowers, bringing the criminal review to a close.