A Springfield cop’s decision to fire a Taser during a quick foot pursuit Tuesday morning has left a 34-year-old guy in critical condition, triggering an outside probe by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
From what police and the video show, it all kicked off around 11:30 a.m. on September 16, 2025, when an officer tried pulling over a silver pickup truck clocked at 62 mph in a 35 mph zone. The driver, who family members say is Patrick Foley, didn’t stop. Cops held off on chasing the truck right away due to safety worries.
A tweet from X.
Not long after, another officer spotted the vehicle on the 500 block of South Isabella Street. As the officer got close, Foley bolted on foot. The body camera footage put out by the Springfield Police Division captures the chase and the moment the officer lets loose with the Taser.
In the video, Foley goes rigid and smacks face-first onto the pavement. You can hear the officers yelling for medics, pointing out blood pouring from his nose and mouth, and how he’s having trouble breathing.
Paramedics rushed him to Springfield Regional Medical Center first, then airlifted him to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton. By Wednesday, he was still in critical shape there.
Police Chief Allison Elliott’s office says the officer’s on paid administrative leave, which is the usual drill for these kinds of reviews.
“We’ve shared the body-worn camera video we have and are working hand-in-hand with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation,”
The department noted in a statement.
BCI folks confirmed they’re handling the independent look into things, which’ll involve going over the bodycam stuff, talking to witnesses, and checking the Taser’s data logs.
Tasers those conducted energy weapons send out a brief electric jolt to mess with someone’s muscles and take them down temporarily. Departments across the country call them “less-lethal” options, a step down from guns.
That said, docs warn they’re not foolproof. Research and stories from around the nation tie them to rare but serious issues like heart stops, breathing troubles, and bad falls. The Associated Press has tracked hundreds of cases where Tasers played a role before or amid a medical emergency. Pinning down exactly what caused what usually needs hospital files, tox screens, and autopsies or forensics.
A bunch of key details are still up in the air. For one, what’s really behind Foley’s condition? That’ll come clear only after docs and investigators dig into all the records and tests. Then there’s the policy side did the officer follow department rules and the maker’s guidelines? On transparency, they’ve only dropped some of the bodycam video so far, and it’s unclear if there’s more out there. Plus, privacy versus accountability hospitals can’t spill much, so Foley’s health details stay under wraps while folks in the community want the full story.
Right now, Foley’s hanging on in critical condition, and his family hasn’t said much publicly besides ID’ing him. The BCI probe might drag on for weeks or even months before they drop their findings, which the local prosecutor’s office will then review.
Expect questions about how Springfield trains its officers on Tasers and if they need tighter rules to pop up once more info comes out.
As Chief Elliott’s team summed it up:
“This is a tough situation, and we’re dedicated to keeping things open while balancing public trust and people’s rights.”
