Officer Bowers cleared in 2025 traffic stop but reprimanded for not documenting punch to driver.

Officer Donald Bowers of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has been cleared of using unnecessary force in a 2025 traffic stop that went viral, but received a written reprimand for failing to document a punch to the face he delivered to driver William McNeil Jr. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office found his actions were lawful and within policy, though the omission in his report violated work standards. McNeil, who was pulled over for minor infractions and later charged with resisting an officer and driving with a suspended license, has filed a federal lawsuit alleging civil rights violations and serious injuries. The case remains under legal review, with no court dates set.