A man who led authorities in a pursuit through Harford County and into Baltimore County died Wednesday night after a Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputy used a TASER device on him, police said.
Arvel Douglas Williams, 30, of the 800 block of Mangold Street in Baltimore was pronounced dead shortly after 9 p.m., one hour after police said he initiated a pursuit which began on Route 7 in Joppa and ended in Perry Hall. Williams was TASERed after he resisted arrest “by failing to comply with deputies’ orders,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
The identity of the deputy who used the TASER on Williams was not released Thursday; Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Cristie Kahler directed all inquiries to the Baltimore County Police Department, who she said would likely release the deputy’s name in accordance with their policies. Those policies allow 48 hours for the officer involved to be interviewed by investigators before their name is made public.
According to the Sheriff’s Office statement, at approximately 8:02 p.m. Wednesday night, deputies in the area of Route 7 and Route 152 in Joppa observed suspected drug activity involving Williams and his red Ford Ranger pickup truck. When they attempted to stop Williams, he led multiple units in a pursuit down Route 7, into Baltimore County, and onto Cowenten Avenue near Honeygo Regional Park. Police said Williams’ speed ranged between 35 and 60 mph during the incident.
Williams attempted to navigate around a traffic circle at the intersection of Cowenten Avenue and East Joppa Road and return southbound, but travelled over the median and struck a Baltimore County Police Department vehicle attempted to assist in the pursuit. Police said Williams attempted to put the truck in reverse several times to continue the pursuit before exiting the vehicle and refusing law enforcement officers’ orders.
“Deputies were forced to deploy their TASERS in an effort to safely place Williams under arrest,” the Sheriff’s Office said in the statement. In their own release, the Baltimore County Police Department said Williams was initially communicative but “suddenly began to have a medical emergency.” Paramedics arrived and transported Williams to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:05 p.m.
The Sheriff’s Office said a white, powdery substance which tested positive as cocaine was found covering Williams’ face and the inside of the vehicle; police believe Williams consumed the drug before his arrest.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies involved in the incident were placed on routine administrative leave; no deputies or officers were injured in the incident. Baltimore County Police Department homicide detectives are conducting the investigation due to the location of Williams’ death, that agency said, and an autopsy will be conducted.
The incident marks the second death involving the Sheriff’s Office use of a TASER device in the last five years. Dwight Madison, 48, died in June 2009 while in custody at the Harford County Detention Center after police said he became combative and corrections officers TASERed him, causing him to fall and strike his head on the ground.
“don’t do drugs, don’t eat drugs.”
I am assuming that the suspect was a caucasian individual, since the drama seeking media did not make a big deal out of police pursuing and then tasering a suspect. And I am simply coming to that conclusion because of the asinine goings on in Ferguson.
“I am assuming that the suspect was a Caucasian individual….”
From word on the street that would be the wrong assumption. How that squares with the asinine goings on in Ferguson MO is anyones guess.
The lesson here: Don’t run from the Police.
I am sure this outstanding citizen had a clean record.
What a shame.
Case search shows 8 previous criminal cases where he was a defendant.
eight! not one but eight!
Love our justice system. NO DETERRENT at all, what a joke it is!
Resonable folks don’t run from the police. This guy has proably ran before and nothing ever happened….umm hello, he will repeat that behavior!
I am glad no police officers were hurt…I am sure they are tired of going after the same idiots over and over.
Personally if you choose that life style…then accept the outcome.
Least those of us who pay taxes don’t incur any further expense with this knucklehead.
I feel for any kids he may have left, if he had them he displayed very selfless behavior.
What time does the looting start?
I needs new shows, bigscreen and some JUSTICE!
nothing in edgehood worth stealing
Where’s CNN when you need someone to slant the news.
They are still in Ferguson slanting the news.
All right now, less cheese to feed!!!!
Most departments have rules against using a taser on a suspect who is not actively resisting. In addition many departments consider Failure to obey an officers commands as passively resisting. If a suspect is trying to ingest drugs taser has advised departments not to use the taser. This is the second taser death involving the Harford County Sheriffs office
I wondered when the Gahler would add his two cents to the discussion.
Can’t be Jeff.. Impossible for him to use 4 complete sentences with the word “Bane” appearing at least 6 times.
If it were Mr. Gahler you would know. He name would be at the bottom of the letter. Way to try to make this a political matter.
Why are you replying to me? I clearly said it wasn’t him.
Do you not grasp how the reply feature works? Or can’t you read?
@Deputy Dog. Bill H is the new spokesmen for Bane. He only gives insults and stupid comments. He has no facts or an ability to debate in a responsible way. Remember, the Black Pearl is sinking and they are desperate.
Seems I hit a nerve.
And what you’re spewing is pure speculation.
Don’t tase me bro!
Glad none of the police officers were injured.
As soon as I find out it was a white guy I’m going to loot the nearest liquor store. We white folks needs justice too.
Got to love how the article is written to make it sound like the taser somehow caused the death. The dirtbag ingested a large quantity of drugs, rams a police car, resists arrest, and is talking to officers after being tased and in custody. Obviously the drugs in his system caught up to him, taser had nothing to do with it. But I guess that version isn’t as sensational as the one the dagger chose to go with.
I believe you will be proven correct that he succumbed as a result of ingesting drugs. In fairness to the Dagger, they are only passing on information provided by the Baltimore County Police Dept, and the HCSO. The fact is the suspect was tasered and he did die after he was tasered. They did not say he died as a result of being tasered, and they stated that the results of an autopsy is pending.
The sad thing is that there are too many truly stupid people reading this articles without any kind of reading comprehension. They are mentally not able to actually understand what was written and what it means. So, they come to their own conclusions and then elaborate on them. Too many stupid, ignorant people making dumb comments about things they are not capable of understanding. My advice to you idiots is: get an education or do some research on some of the things you are commenting on, before you are making total fools of yourself.
Wat u talkin bout, I’s had my course in ebonics.
He could have been taking drugs way before the chase started and he was tasered. And it’s not just The Dagger reporting the taser as the main item, all of the news outlets have. There’s really nothing to get angry about because he was caught in the middle of a crime and decided to run for it. Even if he had been arrested without incident, he more than likely would have started acting out in jail and they would have tasered him there.
What kind of sheriff is Gahler? Why did the deputies have to go and kill dis man?
is that you sharpton? you are what 0-4 when you play the race card. do is all a favor and stfu.
Is it possible Angry Black is a white person trying to make black people look foolish?
For all you police haters: Did you idiots miss the press releases stating that the Deputies and Balto Co Police administered CPR until EMS arrived. So the try to kill him as you say and then try their best to save his life? Hope you idiots or a family member never need a Deputy or police… get a life you losers
Why da go n kill da man. He was just tryin to get som foo for his baby mama. Sheriff Gahler wake up.
Please Angry, shut your ignorant and stupid mouth. First of all, I do not believe that you are a black person. You are an ignorant white man/woman that is trying to start some asinine crap and is trying to incite something (even if it is only on this forum). I agree, there are many black people that would do and say what you are doing here, but I doubt very much that you actually are one of them. There are also a tremendous amount of hardworking, intelligent black citizens that do NOT agree with what these ghettohoods are doing or trying to do. And that is because these black citizens have a brain and can think and make decisions on their own intelligence. I doubt that you are black or anything even close to it. You seem to be an undereducated, idiotic, race hating and totally stupid white person that is trying to start something – go home back under your rock you moron, because intelligent people (white or black or any other race) will not get pulled into your idiocy.
the question is which baby mama? he’s got like 8 kids!
Classy people on here, I sure hope they are not deputies. Would not shock me! I mean you got state troopers pulling there pants down in a family barbecue restaurant. Of course the state police cover everything up so At most a transfer is in the works
In all fairness he was drunk when he pulled his drawers down. And the Pit has a policy, no pants no more drinks for you, state trooper or not.
What does this have to do with the case that was reported in the article? It is unbelievable how many stupid people are on here and make dumb comments about totally irrelevant thing. No wonder Harford county is going to the dogs, too many stupid and ignorant people living here.
ohhh man, seems like a lot of these cops out drinking with anger management issues. Didn’t a Baltimore City officer just beat up his wife here in Harford County?
This is truly a stupid and ignorant comment that has absolutely nothing to do with the case at hand. What you are talking about happened 2 years ago and it has nothing to do with what happened here. The current case at issue is about a suspect that was trying to flee the police and then was aggressive AFTER he swallowing the evidence (drugs) and then was tazered by police officers. YOU sir/madam are a total idiot and need to crawl back into his ignorant rock, where you came from. It is amazing how many stupid people are in this world, that make dumb comments about things they know nothing about.
Edith. Sounds like you’ve been knocked around by drunk cop. Or maybe knocked up
Haha – well you totally confirmed what I said in my comment. Enough said. Ignorance and idiocy very clearly seen.
Edith are you related to a cop Maybe u r a fat lesbian po po.
If I pulled my pants down in that barbecue place I would have been arrested. Why was this Trooper Corporal not arrested is he above the law? Double standard and makes people question police and their integrity.
If you pulled your pants down in a restaurant you would have been tazed, your dog shot multiple times, and you thrown into a choke hold and then shot.
Should’ve tasered the ignorant cop in the balls.
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