LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — A man is in a coma fighting for his life after family members claim he was beaten by Wilson County Sheriff deputies - a case agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is now looking in to. Update: Autopsy says man placed under arrest died from meth and not blunt force
Deputies were responding to a domestic incident on Rutledge Lane when things escalated.
Family members of Jacob Ross Nopens say Nopens was walking with his son when deputies approached him and took his son away. They say the deputies continued to beat him after he begged them to stop. They also say that Nopens was actually pronounced dead on arrival, but was placed in a coma while they wait for brain swelling to go down.
Family members asked for prayers as their loved one tries to recover. They took to social media to express their frustration and hope for justice, saying "I am making this post to start the process of getting my brother the justice he deserves. They claim to serve and protect and that’s clearly a lie."
The investigation is being handled by the TBI per a request from the Wilson County Sheriff's Office.
However, the TBI's preliminary report tells a different story. Officials say while deputies tried to arrest Nopens he collapsed and became non-responsive, for reasons still under investigation. He was initially transported to a hospital in Lebanon but was later moved to a Nashville hospital.
According to the family, the incident was caught on cellphone video, but the phone was taken by deputies and the TBI. The Wilson County Sheriff told NewsChannel 5 a dash cam in a squad car also captured part of the incident. He said the video did not show his deputies using excessive force.
The TBI's report stated they collected any any relevant evidence, which may include videos or photographs just as they do in any case while they investigate.
