The Gainesville man who lost his right eye after he was mauled by a police K-9 following a traffic stop in July 2022 was sentenced on Tuesday to one year in jail.

Judge David Kreider with the Eighth Judicial Circuit sentenced Terrell Bradley, 32, to one year in the Florida Department of Corrections. Bradley pleaded no contest to resisting arrest without violence, possession of a firearm and battery on a law enforcement officer.

The incident started as a traffic stop on July 10. According to the Gainesville Police Department (GPD), a patrol officer began a traffic stop after seeing a vehicle fail to stop at a stop sign at Sweetwater Square Apartments on NE 15th Street. The vehicle slowed down but continued along NE 39th Avenue until pulling into the Eden Park Apartments. 

After approaching the vehicle, the officer saw contraband and suspicious behavior by the driver, lowering his hand toward the floor, GPD reported. The officer asked the driver, Bradley, to exit the vehicle, which he did, but when the officer started a pat down, according to GPD, Bradley resisted the efforts “by physically contacting the officer and running away on foot.” 

Officers searched the vehicle, found a loaded handgun and a driver’s license that showed Bradley was a convicted felon, then initiated a K-9 search.  

When the dog found Bradley hiding in nearby bushes, it attacked him, causing multiple injuries. GPD officers called for EMS, but surgeons later had to remove Bradley’s eye.  

The incident sparked protests against police brutality and calls for change at GPD.  

GPD suspended the K-9 involved in the encounter while an independent investigation took place. The probe found the K-9 unit followed protocol “in accordance with department policy and industry standards.”  GPD would suspend two officers and warn three others for “improper behavior.”