West Virginia man calls 911 for chest pains, and deputy shoves him to ground

A West Virginia man says he was thrown to the ground by a sheriff’s deputy after he called for help while experiencing a possible medical emergency.

Jerry Maynard said he was having chest pains Thursday after drinking some whiskey at his Delbarton home, reported WSAZ-TV, so he called 911.

An ambulance arrived a short time later, and emergency medical crews examined him and found his vital signs normal.

But the pains flared up again, Maynard said, so he called 911 a second time.

Two Mingo County sheriff's deputies arrived this time with the ambulance, although the Mingo County sheriff declined to say why.

Maynard said one of the deputies swore at him and threatened to kill him if he called 911 again.

Surveillance video from a neighbor's home shows one of the deputies approach Maynard and shove him hard in the chest, knocking him flat on his back.

"He hit me and knocked me down," Maynard said. "Well, when he did, everything went dark. I put my hand up. I didn't know if he was going to hit me with a light or what."

The sheriff said the deputy was placed on administrative leave while the incident was investigated by county prosecutors and internal affairs, but he defended the veteran.

"I've not heard nothing from him since I've been in office," said Sheriff James Smith. "I've not received nothing from him. I think he's been on the job 12-13 years now."

He declined to say whether shoving was acceptable behavior.

Maynard has previously been convicted of public intoxication, drunken driving, and obstructing an officer.

Watch this video report posted online by WSAZ-TV: