Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office has released a video of the police encounter that ended with the death of 52 year old Bloomfield man, David Ward.
Sheriff’s deputies had spotted the stolen vehicle on the night of November 27th. Sheriff Mark Essick in the beginning of the video says Ward initially began to pull over when Deputies came into contact but then “took off and started a pursuit.”
The video shows deputies struggling to get Ward out of the Vehicle using a stun gun and carotid restraint, the hold being administered by Deputy Charlie Blount. Shortly after the hold’s application, Ward stops breathing. Deputies on scene initially got ward breathing again though remaining unconscious. The video ends with Paramedics administering CPR with Ward reportedly having stopped breathing again.
Ward was transported to Petaluma Valley Hospital where he would be pronounced dead.
It was not know at the time of the encounter that Ward was the owner of the car and that he had retrieved it.
Sheriff Essick announces at the end of the video that Deputy Blount is being fired from the Sheriff’s office. “This one person does not reflect the culture of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office,” Essick said. “and does not represent the hard working men and women who work here.”
WARNING: This video contains graphic images and sound.