The Boynton Beach City Commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 to appeal an arbitrators ruling to rehire former officer Mark Sohn. Sohn was fired by the city in 2022 months after a fatal crash involving 13-year-old Stanley Davis III. (Source: Screenshots - 25 WPBF)

Florida officials appeal ruling to rehire ex-cop involved in crash that killed Black teen

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Officials in Florida voted unanimously to appeal a decision that would have allowed a former officer involved in a crash that killed a Black teen to get his job back.

Boynton Beach City Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to try to keep former police officer Mark Sohn from being re-hired.

The City of Boynton Beach fired Sohn months after he tried to stop 13-year-old Stanley Davis III in 2021 from riding a dirt bike on a restricted road, and the teen crashed after speeding away. Stanley died after he crashed the dirt bike.

Although an investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol investigation determined Sohn was not at fault for the fatal crash, he was fired after an investigation conducted by the city of Boynton Beach concluded the officer violated multiple department policies.

In May, an arbitrator ruled in Sohn’s favor and ordered he be rehired.

Family and community members packed a Boynton Beach City Commissioners meeting Tuesday night, urging officials to appeal the arbitrator’s ruling.

The commissioners did not discuss the issue before they unanimously voted in favor of appealing the ruling to rehire Sohn.

Sohn reportedly had a history of disciplinary issues, including being suspended twice for violating the police department’s vehicle pursuit policies. Sohn has been involved in three deadly vehicle pursuits involving Black motorists.

More on the commissioners’ vote and the deadly crash.

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