Taser a 76-Year-Old in Parade? Oops.

Published : Wednesday, 12 Aug 2009, 10:44 AM CDT

* By Alice Kalthoff, MYFOXDFW.COM

GLENROCK, Wyo. - A small-town police chief admits two of his officers "probably didn't do things the best way" when they used a Taser on a 76-year-old man on an antique tractor in a parade.

Witnesses say Bud Grose was tasered repeatedly after his 1958 John Deere tractor accidentally bumped a police car in the annual Deer Creek Days parade on August 1.

Grose told the Casper Star-Tribune that a friend's 9-year-old son was behind the wheel and he was actually sitting on the fender, controlling the clutch and speed.

Police told state investigators that Grose failed to obey police directions.

Residents packed a town meeting Monday to talk about the incident and protest the officers' actions.

"Those two were the most out-of-control officers I've ever seen in my life," said witness Scott McWilliams. "These two guys got to go."

"They both, in my opinion, acted like doped up thugs," said Grose's daughter-in-law, Pat Grose.

The town's police chief, Tom Sweet, put the two officers on paid leave during the investigation.

"I don't want to take a knee-jerk reaction now," he told the meeting.

The Division of Criminal Investigation report said Grose disobeyed Kavenius' traffic command and steered around Kavenius to head toward the town park rather than the end of the parade. Kavenius told state investigators he was struck by Grose's tractor, but Grose denied hitting the officer.

The report said Kavenius then chased Grose on foot until Brown joined the pursuit in a police SUV and caught up to Grose's tractor.

The police pulled in front of the tractor, which came to a stop as it bumped the SUV. That's when Kavenius shocked Grose with the Taser.

Grose, a retired truck driver, said he's unlikely to participate in future parades. "I think I probably have retired from parades," he said.

Grose told the Casper Star-Tribune that a friend's 9-year-old son was behind the wheel and he was actually sitting on the fender, controlling the clutch and speed.