A 53-year-old former California Insurance Commissioner was identified as the Lee County, Florida sheriff’s deputy who shot a man he was trying to arrest in February. Charles Quackenbush shot Teodor Buda, 57, after Buda pointed a stun gun at the deputy after a struggle, according to the sheriff’s office.

Buda was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital, where he remained in critical condition Wednesday. Quackenbush was treated for minor injuries after the scuffle. Quackenbush — who has been with the sheriff’s office since June 2005 — was placed on paid administrative leave pending the completion of an internal investigation.

Quakenbush’s career included terms as insurance commissioner in 1994 and 1998 and talk of a run for governor or possibly the U.S. Senate. But that changed.

In 2000, Quackenbush resigned as California commissioner rather than face possible impeachment. He was accused of misappropriating insurance-related fines relating to the alleged mishandling of claims from the Northridge earthquake. It was alleged that insurers paid $12 million to a nonprofit foundation Quackenbush created instead of paying billions in fines. An FBI memorandum dated May 2, 2005, cleared Quackenbush of wrongdoing, stating an “exhaustive investigation” on both the state and federal levels had found no evidence of criminal conduct.

Deputy Who Shot Man Identified as ex-CA DOI Head (Ft. Myers FL News-Press 2/28/08)

Ex-California Insurance Chief Shoots Man (BestWire 3/3/08)

March 12, 2008