A Bradley County deputy sheriff was taken to Tennova Hospital for neck and back pain after he was injured during an arrest Monday evening.
Deputies James Dearth and Jimmy Dale Liner went to 300 Talon Ridge Drive in Charleston, Tenn., around 8:45 p.m. and found Mark Nelson in a room upstairs, threatening to kill himself, according to a sheriff's office spokesman.
After tipping back and draining a large bottle of vodka, Nelson, 50, made an aggressive motion, "as if he were a charging bull," authorities said.
Dearth drew his Taser.
But when he fired, the electrical charge had no effect on Nelson. He continued to rush forward.
As the deputies backed out of the door, Liner wrapped his arms around Nelson, holding him at the top step to keep all three men from toppling down the stairs.
But Nelson reached down, grabbed Dearth's shoe, and managed to push the deputy off balance. He fell down 16 stairs, authorities said.
While Dearth tumbled, Liner regained control and smashed Nelson face-first onto the stairs. He waited until Dearth came back to fire his Taser again.
This time, Nelson crumpled.
A short while later, a Bradley County ambulance took Dearth and Nelson to Tennova Hospital. Authorities said they didn't know when Dearth was expected to recover, or many details about his condition.
Nelson has been charged with aggravated assault on law enforcement officers.
Contact Zack Peterson at zpeterson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6347. Follow @zackpeterson918.