The Sonoma County Criminal Grand Jury has indicted former Sheriff’s Deputy Charlie Blount with two felonies, including a charge of manslaughter, for his role in the death of David Glen Ward during a November 2019 traffic stop.
A resistant Ward, 52, died while being restrained by officers in West Sonoma County after a 10-minute high-speed chase. Blount, whose aggressive response was documented by a body camera, was fired by Sheriff Mark Essick a month after the incident.
“The way Deputy Blount handles the situation is extremely troubling,” Essick said.
Ward supposedly had his vehicle stolen by a gun-wielding thief, but later recovered the vehicle and failed to inform police. He was pulled over, but fled. When stopped a second time, officers said Ward refused to exit the vehicle. When officers attempted to pull him out of the car window, Ward allegedly bit two deputies before being tased, dragged from the vehicle, and subjected to a “carotid restraint.”
Ward then stopped breathing, and officers attempted to resuscitate him. He was transported to a hospital around 6:20 a.m and pronounced dead within the hour.
The charges against Blount include Involuntary Manslaughter and Assault Under Color of Authority. Both alledge personal infliction of great bodily harm.
He was booked at the Sonoma County Jail and posted the $50,000 bail on November 2.
District Attorney Jill Ravitch explained that while her office usually presents evidence to a judge at a preliminary hearing, criminal grand juries are not unprecedented in Sonoma County. “In light of the obstacles presented with Covid-19, and the public safety issues in this case, we felt it made sense to submit this evidence to the grand jury for their consideration,” she said.
He will be arraigned on November 12.
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