Court selects jury for man accused of dragging former Seminole County deputy after traffic stop

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — It only took a few hours Monday morning for a jury to be selected in the trial of a man accused of trying to kill a now-former Seminole County deputy.

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Body camera video shows the then-deputy Aaron Blaise being dragged by the driver of an SUV pulled over for a traffic stop.

The incident happened nearly four years ago.

The deputy who was dragged does not work for the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office anymore.

Read: Sheriff: Man already wanted for murder named as “prime suspect” in murder of woman reported missing

Things are speeding up as a jury was selected, with opening statements also taking place.

The traffic stop in June 2019 started with former Seminole County Deputy Aaron Blaise pulling over a Rocky Rudolph for dark windows.

But it soon took a dark turn after questions about the smell of marijuana in the vehicle.

Read: Police: Man arrested in deadly road-rage shooting in Orlando

Blaise asked him to turn off the car, but that’s when things escalated. Instead, Rudolph took off, and Blaise was dragged down the road.

Rudolph was eventually arrested. He claimed numerous times that he was in fear for his life.

He even sent a letter to the prosecutor in August asking for leniency, saying, “I was under intense pressure from being profiled and harassed to a great extent.”

However, a Seminole County Sheriff’s Office internal affairs investigation revealed that Deputy Blaise followed protocol.

Read: Suspect arrested in shooting death of man in downtown Orlando parking garage

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