Sheriff Deputy in Northern California Being Investigated for Disabled Man David Ward’s Death [Video] [Caution Disturbing Content]

A sheriff’s deputy in Northern California will be fired for putting a man in a chokehold who died later.  

Sheriff of Sonoma County Mark Essick released a video on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, of bodycam footage from Deputy Charles Blount that showed him putting David Glen Ward into a chokehold. Ward was the victim of a carjacking, however, officers thought he was a suspect.  

The victim was 52 years old and later died in a nearby hospital.  

“The way Deputy Blount handles the entire situation is extremely troubling. As a result, I have served Deputy Blount with a notice of termination. He has been on administrative leave since this incident occurred and he will remain on leave until the conclusion of this investigation and all potential appeals have taken place,” Essick said in the video.  

Blount’s attorney Harry Stern defended his client’s actions and referred to the sheriff’s hasty response as a product of “political expediency.” 

Additionally, Stern emphasized that the deputy was still employed, despite the notice of termination. This is because the investigation has not yet been concluded.  

The incident occurred on Nov. 27, not long after Ward reported his car had been stolen. The Santa Rosa Police Department saw his vehicle pass by and contacted the sheriff’s office to assist in recovering the car.  

Deputies responded and according to the sheriff’s office, attempted to pull the car over.  

“What our deputies did not know at the times was that Mr. Ward was not only the owner of the car, but the victim of the earlier carjacking. The suspect had pistol-whipped him and stolen his car. Mr. Ward had recovered the car, but failed to report it. It remains a mystery as to why he fled from our deputies,” reported Essick in the video.  

The body cam shows Ward, who has a black eye, pull over temporarily. He immediately pulls out and starts a high-speed chase. Officers pursue him traveling as fast as 70 miles per hour into Bloomfield, California. Eventually, the chase comes to a halt when Ward reaches a cul-de-sac and pulls over.  

Deputies attempt to remove Ward from the vehicle, but he refuses to cooperate and even bites two of the deputies.  

“Why are you f—ing harassing me all the time?” Ward asks the deputies after he struggles to unlock the door and opens the window instead.  

Deputy Blount seizes Ward by his arm and attempts to pull him out of the window before Ward agrees to cooperate and get out of the car. The deputies seize him and drag him out of the vehicle, and it appears that Ward’s leg is pinched under the wheel. He yells, “my legs, my legs,” in pain.  

This is when Ward bites the two deputies.  

In response to being bit, Blount strikes Ward’s head against the side of the vehicle and the other deputy shoots him with a taser twice. As Ward is being tased Blount puts him into a chokehold. Ward can be heard sputtering and gasping for air in the footage.  

After breaking the passenger side window, officers from the Sebastopol Police Department drag Ward, who appears to be unconscious, out of the vehicle and handcuff him. 

The officers attempt to wake Ward but stop when they say he seems to be breathing. 

“Keep monitoring his breathing and s–,” Blount tells the officers.  

Later in the video, another deputy identifies Ward as the owner of the vehicle and states that he was with Ward hours earlier looking for the stolen vehicle.  

Blount says in the video, “Oh well.” 

Seconds later, an officer notices that Ward has stopped breathing. Blount tells them to begin CPR and reports his state to dispatch.  

Blount tells the officers, “Start it. Just do it. It can’t hurt to do it.” 

Later, Ward was declared dead by a nearby hospital. 

Ward’s half-sister Catherine Aguilera told KCRA that Ward struggled with drugs and had other health issues since being hit by a drunk driver while riding a motorcycle. He suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a heart condition. Ward used a walker or a wheelchair to get around and had to carry an oxygen tank.  

According to the sheriff, “We release those videos so the community can get as full a picture as possible and critical incidents in our county, regardless of whether it puts us in a good light or bad.” 

“Please know that this one person does not reflect the culture of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and does not represent the hardworking men and women who work here.” 

Blount’s attorney released a statement, “Deputy Blount didn’t cause David Ward’s death. Frankly, Mr. Ward caused his own death by inexplicably taking a number of bizarre actions that confirmed in the deputies’ minds that he was an armed carjacker.” 

The lawyer believes that evidence will show that Ward died of other causes. “Most significantly, there were no indications of trauma to his neck.” 

By Jeanette Vietti 

NBC News: California deputy attempts chokehold on driver who later died
CNN: California deputy on leave after violently removing carjacking victim from vehicle, sheriff says
Sacbee: Disabled man who fled CA cops died after being put in chokehold

Image Courtesy of Paul Sullivan’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License