GALVESTON
A Galveston County deputy on Nov. 29 pushed Ariel Ledesma to the floor of a cell at the county jail. The push caused Ledesma to hit his head, an injury that landed him in a local hospital.
Ledesma died in the hospital on Dec. 14. The deputy, Sgt. Jonathan Wuneburger, has been on leave since Ledesma was hospitalized, and the Texas Rangers are investigating whether the deputyâs use of force amounted to a criminal act, officials said.
A custodial death reported obtained by The Daily News on Wednesday provided the first limited description of the incident that led to Ledesmaâs injury and death. The report asserts Ledesma was attempting to escape when he was pushed.
According to Sheriffâs Office Capt. Jay Baker:
At about 2:30 p.m. Saturday the deputy pulled over a vehicle at Medical Lane and Hospital Road in Canton.
âAt some point during the traffic stop the deputy requested the driver exit the vehicle and the driver grabbed the deputies arm and started driving away. The deputy was able disengage from the driver after approximately 30 feet and was not injured. The driver then fled the area,â Baker said.
The driver was chased by deputies, later joined by the Georgia State Patrol and Pickens County Sheriffâs Office when the driver fled into that county. The driver was able to get away and his vehicle was found abandoned along Black Knob Church Road.
Acworth man captured in Fairmount following manhut mdjonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mdjonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.