24-year-old pronounced dead after Richmond County stun-gun incident

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A man has died after several days in a coma following a clash with deputies who used a stun gun on him when he ran during a traffic stop.

The Richmond County Coroner’s Office said it’s investigating the death of Jermaine Jones, 24, of the 600 block Fairhope Street.

Jones was pronounced dead at 2:08 p.m. Monday at Augusta University Medical Center, where he’d been for a week after suffering severe brain injuries, apparently in an encounter with deputies.

Jones was involved in an incident with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at Highland Avenue and Clifton Street on Oct. 11.

The sheriff’s office says one of its deputies shocked Jones after he ran from the scene of a traffic stop. It also says there was a “brief struggle” when Jones resisted officers.

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The incident report explains the men were initially pulled over for a tinted case covering the license plate.

Then several more investigators showed up and asked the driver, Jones’ uncle, for consent to search the vehicle. Another deputy then arrived with a K9. The dog smelled narcotics in the vehicle.

The three occupants of the vehicle — Jones, his father and his uncle — were removed and put on the curb.

The report says while one investigator was searching the area where Jones was sitting, Jones stood up and told his father he was going to run.

The investigator found a handgun and crack pipe under the rear passenger seat and then Jones took off running, according to deputies.

An investigator used his stun gun, hitting the back of Jones, which caused him to fall on the ground. After a brief struggle, Jones was taken to custody, according to deputies.

Later, deputies said he had suffered a medical emergency, and he was taken to the hospital, where he was on life support.

His family is asking why was he not given medical attention sooner.

His medical records show he suffered a significant brain hemorrhage in multiple parts of his brain, along with bruising in his brain, and that part of his brain was swollen.

He was then put in a medically induced coma until his family was ready to say goodbye.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into the use of force.

An autopsy of Jones is scheduled at the GBI lab.