The District Attorney’s Office released statements last week saying that the officers involved in two local excessive use of force investigations will not face criminal charges.
In the first incident, Dillon Ledford was experiencing a diabetic medical emergency in the Walmart parking lot on Feb. 16, 2024. Following a call to 911 from Walmart employees, Ledford was removed from the vehicle by Spruce Pine Police officers Dalton Mace and Michael Sale and Captain Michael Hollifield and restrained using a taser. Officers misinterpreted Ledford’s confusion brought on by his medical condition as active resistance.
“While, with the benefit of hindsight, the failure to involve medical personnel to evaluate Mr. Ledford’s condition on scene given his apparent symptoms is cause for concern, that omission does not rise to the level of a violation of the criminal law,” District Attorney R. Seth Banks said in a statement. “Therefore, the District Attorney’s Office will not be seeking criminal charges against any of the law enforcement personnel who were involved in this incident.”
The second incident involved an allegedly intoxicated suspect who was punched in the face by Spruce Pine Police Officer Michael Ethan Sale during a struggle in custody. Mitchell County Sheriff Donald Street requested an investigation into this incident.
“While the District Attorney’s Office maintains that some of the initial concerns voiced by Sheriff’s Department personnel were valid and at least created the perception of the use of excessive force, the investigative file does not contain proof beyond a reasonable doubt that a violation of the criminal law occurred in this instance,” the statement reads. “This office will not be seeking criminal charges against Officer Sale for his conduct during this incident.”
Sale was suspended from the Spruce Pine Police Department and his suspension ended in July, at which point he was assigned to an administrative support position.
Spruce Pine Town Manager Darlene Butler said she could not comment on whether or not there would be further internal investigation into the officers involved.
“The Town does not comment on the status of any personnel investigations,” Butler said.