MARION COUNTY, Fla. — Three former Marion County firefighters arrested for waterboarding an employee during a hazing incident took a plea deal.
In court on April 30, the former firefighters admitted to attacking 19-year-old Kayne Stuart. Though a judge seemed hesitant to accept the state’s offer, ultimately the victim, Stuart, was satisfied with the plea agreement, FOX 35 reported.
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Kayne Stuart, a 19-year-old rookie firefighter at Marion County Fire Rescue’s Station 21, was assaulted Nov. 16 in what the department described as a hazing incident, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators said several firefighters restrained Stuart, beat him with his own belt, dragged him across a parking lot and waterboarded him three times with a towel while trying to get access to his cellphone to view a video he had posted on social media.
Stuart called the attack in an earlier interview as painful and humiliating, adding, “I was literally unable to breathe.”
After an investigation, the four firefighters were fired and charged with battery and false imprisonment.
Kaylee Bradley, a paramedic with the department for two years, was arrested on robbery-related charges, which were later dropped.
Firefighter/EMTs Tate Trauthwein, Edward Kenny and Seth Day were each charged with battery and false imprisonment.
Under the plea deal, Trauthwein, Kenny and Day will each serve one year of probation and avoid prison time.
They also must complete a four-hour bullying awareness class, a 10-hour anger management course and 100 hours of community service.
