By: Associated Press

December 14, 2016

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- A deputy in north Florida has been fired after his patrol car camera recorded him throwing a homeless man against the hood and punching him.

The Gainesville Sun reports that the Alachua County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday said Deputy Dominic Bevilacqua was fired after an investigation into his use of force against 50-year-old Francis Dreessen.

An investigative report of the incident found that Bevilacqua "acted outside the scope of his lawful duty and committed misdemeanor battery."

The incident on Sept. 29 occurred along a highway near Gainesville after a resident reported a suspicious man on the road.

Video shows Dreessen was petting his dog when Bevilacqua arrived, and that the homeless man was trying to get his ID when Bevilacqua slammed his head on the hood and threw him to the ground.