A woman has sued a Whitfield County deputy in the alleged wrongful death of her husband during a mental health episode after consuming a legal mushroom chocolate bar, according to a federal lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, Alicio Mayorga-Rangel had a severe psychological reaction to the chocolate bar on the evening of Sept. 20, 2024. His wife, Candelaria Mayorga, called 911 for the mental health issues Mayorga-Rangel was experiencing. The complaint states that the emergency dispatcher noted it was a mental health emergency.
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When Whitfield County Sheriff’s deputy Joseph Taylor arrived at the scene, Mayorga-Rangel exited the house, naked. Taylor then tased Mayorga-Rangel, who fell to the ground, the lawsuit said. Mayorga-Rangel stood back up and moved toward Taylor again, and Taylor shot him four times in the abdomen. The suit also said that Taylor did not identify himself as law enforcement during the incident.
The complaint said that Taylor and another deputy who responded to the scene after Mayorga-Rangel was shot, along with EMS, did not provide adequate care for Mayorga-Rangel, who had collapsed in a ditch outside of his residence. Mayorga-Rangel was handcuffed with his arms behind his back after being shot.