SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Charges have been dropped against the Troy man who admitted to driving to Saratoga Springs to provoke a police officer and capture it all on camera.
Adam Rupeka was pepper sprayed and arrested by Saratoga Springs Police Officer Nathan Baker in May after Rupeka gave him the finger as he passed by in his car. Baker pulled over Rupeka, who then refused to comply with several requests to get out of his car, and Baker eventually pepper sprayed him.
Rupeka was charged with resisting arrest, but that charge was dropped by the Saratoga County District Attorney on Thursday.
Officer Baker has been suspended without pay pending a disciplinary hearing.
Saratoga Springs Police Chief Greg Veitch also said he would be seeking to terminate Baker's employment with the department. In a statement, Veitch said, "The disposition of criminal charges is rightfully determined in a court of law. I respect the decision made by the District Attorney’s Office not to proceed with a prosecution in this case.”
Rupeka is active on a website about police wrongdoing, and posted the video there after the incident.