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Adams County Deputy Charged For Assaulting Teen, Attempted Coverup

ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - The Adams County District Attorney's Office is charging a sheriff's deputy with three felonies and one misdemeanor for allegedly assaulting a teenager who was restrained, breaking the boys jaw, then attempting to cover up his actions.

Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Dep. David Morrow with second-degree assault, child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury, tampering with a witness or victim and official oppression.

CBS4 previously reported the 28-year-old deputy is accused of punching a 15-year-old boy who was restrained on a paramedics gurney.

In a phone conversation with CBS4 Morrow said "the rumors going around are completely false." Morrow declined to provide further comment. He has been an Adams County Sheriff's Deputy since 2004.

The department placed Morrow on leave June 22. According to court documents, the incident occurred June 12 at a sheriff's substation. Three ambulance attendants were preparing to transport a drunk teenager to a hospital for further evaluation. The teen was being belligerent and refusing to answer questions. Both his hands and feet were restrained.

"Dep. Morrow entered the ambulance and struck (the victim) in the mouth with a closed fist," according to an affidavit.

The affidavit says Morrow told his sergeant "he had a terrible lapse of judgment and did something bad." Morrow told his superior officer he "lost his temper and hit the juvenile in the face."

Medical reports confirm the teenager ended up with a broken jaw and had to be treated by a trauma doctor. According to one of the ambulance attendants who witnessed what happened, Morrow twice said, "Nobody saw anything, right?"

"We want him to turn himself in today," said Sgt. Terrance O'Neill with the Adams County Sheriff's Department. "It will be handled the same as any other individual who breaks the law."

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