The family of a Belcamp man, who died during a medical emergency in November 2011, is claiming in a multi-million-dollar wrongful death suit filed Tuesday that a Harford County sheriff’s deputy’s alleged order to stop a neighbor from performing CPR on the man directly led to his death.
The suit was filed in Harford County Circuit Court by the family of the late Rev. Bob Tompkins of the 1200 block of Magness Court in Belcamp, including his wife, Mary Larraine Tompkins, and his children, Matthew K. Tompkins, of the 200 block of Fairwood Road in Bel Air, and Amanda R. McMahan, of the 2200 block of Williams Lane in Havre de Grace. The defendants in the suit are the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and DFC Ronnell Webb.
According to the suit filed on behalf of the family by the Baltimore law firm of David Ellen, P.C., on Nov. 11, 2011, Michael Johnson, a neighbor, found Rev. Tompkins, who was 57, lying face down on the ground near Rev. Tompkins’ home and began CPR.

Deputy Webb arrived before paramedics and allegedly told Johnson to stop his resuscitation efforts, “despite the fact that witnesses attested Rev. Tompkins was responding favorably to CPR, was breathing and regaining color,” according to the suit.

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Rev. Tompkins died of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, where he was transported by emergency medical personnel who arrived after the deputy, according to the suit.
“Had Mr. Johnson not been prevented by Defendant DFC Webb from continuing to provide CPR to Reverend Tompkins, he more than likely than not would have survived,” the suit claims.
The suit seeks damages on multiple counts on behalf of Rev. Tompkins’ [...]