After family members expressed concerns that McCreary County Deputy Jason Perry acted overly aggressive during Perry’s arrest of Jonah Helton on January 14, 2023, McCreary County Sheriff David Sampson has launched an investigation into the incident. Deputy Perry arrested Helton after a high speed chase from Pine Knot into Tennessee and a subsequent foot pursuit. During the vehicle pursuit, Perry’s patrol car was reportedly rammed twice. During a subsequent foot pursuit, the deputy and suspect allegedly wrestled over control of the officer’s service arm, and the officer’s gun discharged during the process. The deputy deployed his taser to control the suspect. Social media posts by members of Helton’s family allege excessive force and excessive use of a taser.
McCreary County Sheriff Sampson said he has interviewed all persons involved, and the matter is still under investigation.
‘We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and hope to complete our investigation soon,” Sheriff Sampson stated.
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