David Glen Ward
David Glen Ward, 52, of Petaluma, had steel plates in his neck and spine and limited mobility, and relied on supplemental oxygen, according to a federal lawsuit filed by his mother. He died on November 27, 2019, after a confrontation with Sonoma County sheriff's deputies in Bloomfield, where deputies removed him from a vehicle and restrained him. The county's summary findings cite heart failure, blunt impact injuries, a neck restraint and a Taser, and classify the manner of death as homicide. His mother's lawsuit alleges that a deputy used excessive force, while the defense attorney points instead to pre-existing medical conditions.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed). The county's summary findings cite heart failure, blunt impact injuries, a neck restraint and a Taser; his mother's lawsuit alleges excessive force by a deputy, while the defense attorney points to methamphetamine intoxication and pre-existing conditions.
Reported by: County summary cause and manner of death findings (medical examiner or coroner); his mother's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers); the defense attorney.
Lawsuit: His mother filed a federal lawsuit alleging that a Sonoma County sheriff's deputy used excessive force, and no dollar amount has been reported.