A confrontation at the Northampton County Courthouse in North Carolina between a sheriff’s deputy and a citizen has led to a criminal investigation and left a commercial truck driver with severe vision impairment. The incident was recorded by the courthouse surveillance system, and the footage was recently released.
According to authorities, Mr. Don Long II, a commercial truck driver, arrived at the courthouse to respond to a summons. After returning to his vehicle to store his mobile phone in compliance with security regulations, Mr. Long realized he was at risk of being late and hurried back inside to request entry to the courtroom. At this point, a verbal dispute ensued between him and Deputy Gregory Coulson.
Surveillance footage shows the tension quickly escalating into a physical altercation in an area out of the camera’s line of sight, where Deputy Coulson deployed pepper spray against Mr. Long. The incident then spilled into the main hallway, where the two parties continued to engage physically before Mr. Long restrained the officer. Due to the chemical effects of the spray, authorities evacuated and closed the courthouse for the remainder of the day.
Upon reviewing the surveillance footage, supervisors determined that Mr. Long was not the instigator. His initial detention was immediately rescinded, and prosecutors declined to file any criminal charges against him. On the law enforcement side, Deputy Gregory Coulson resigned amid an ongoing criminal investigation into his conduct.
The aftermath of the incident has directly impacted Mr. Long’s ability to work. Chemical injuries caused his vision to degrade from a normal 20/20 to 20/80. Under current legal regulations for commercial road safety, this level of vision disqualifies him from continuing his career as a commercial driver. The case remains under official review by relevant authorities in accordance with legal procedures.
