Caregiver Accused Of Beating Man Who Then Died In Sheriff Custody

SANTA ROSA, CA — A Sonoma man was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Sonoma County Superior Court for beating a man and stealing his car last month in a case that ended with that man dying in an altercation with authorities three days later.

Driden Adrian Estrada, 32, is suspected of punching, kicking and pistol-whipping David Glen Ward, 52, at Ward's residence in the 10000 block of Mill Street in a rural unincorporated Sonoma County and fleeing in Ward's 2003 Honda Civic, Sonoma County sheriff's Sgt. Juan Valencia said Tuesday.

Ward reported the beating and carjacking to the sheriff's office around 10:10 p.m. on Nov. 24. Ward knew Estrada, a caretaker who lived on his property, for about two months, only by his nickname "D," Valencia said.

Ward gave a description of Estrada to the sheriff's office and identified him as the suspect in a photo lineup. He then somehow got his Honda back, but investigators do not know how or when, according to Valencia.

The sheriff's office then received a report by an off-duty Santa Rosa police detective on Nov. 27 that the Honda, which investigators thought was still stolen, was seen in the area of Frei and Guerneville roads around 5:40 a.m.

A sheriff's deputy and two Sebastopol police officers pursued the vehicle, which at one point stopped but drove away, for about seven minutes and ended at 6:02 a.m. Another deputy, Charlie Blount, arrived at the scene after the pursuit ended.

Ward was driving the Honda but refused to get out of his vehicle,and officers tried to remove him through the open driver's side window, according to Santa Rosa police, who are investigating the incident.

During a struggle, Ward bit deputies Blount and Jason Little, and the officers shot Ward with a Taser stun gun. Blount also used a carotid hold around Ward's neck to remove him from the Honda's passenger door, Santa Rosa police said.

Ward was handcuffed, and at 6:10 a.m. he did not appear to be breathing. CPR was started, medical personnel arrived at 6:21 a.m. and Ward was taken by ambulance to Petaluma Valley Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 7:17 a.m., Santa Rosa police said.

Sheriff's detectives arrested Estrada, who had outstanding warrants, at 8 p.m. Friday during a probation search at a residence on Fifth Street East in Sonoma, Valencia said.

The sheriff's office will conduct an administrative review to determine if the deputies involved in Ward's death followed policies, and the Marin County Sheriff's Office will investigate the cause and manner of Ward's in-custody death.

Since Ward's death, defense attorney Izaak Schwaiger, who represents plaintiffs in alleged excessive police force cases, has disclosed Blount's previous use of the carotid restraint, which can be fatal if no performed correctly.

RELATED COVERAGE:

• Petaluma Man Who Died After Chase Was Registered Owner Of Car: PD
• Man Dies In Custody After Pursuit In Sonoma County
• Driver Who Died After Sonoma County Chase ID'd As Petaluma Man

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