INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A former suburban Kansas City police officer was sentenced to four years in federal prison after a confrontation that nearly cost a teenager his life.

Timothy Runnels, a former Independence police officer, pleaded guilty in September to violating the civil rights of 17-year-old Bryce Masters during a 2014 traffic stop.

Masters was sentenced Wednesday after a hearing last week where witnesses testified that Masters went into cardiac arrest when Runnels used a Taser on him after the teen refused to get out of his car. Runnels admitted he dropped the handcuffed teen on the ground after his body went limp.

Runnels apologized last week and said he never meant to harm Masters.

Runnels was given until Aug. 1 to surrender to federal authorities.