Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, Florida
End of Watch: Sunday, March 31, 2002
Age: 48
Tour of Duty: 12 years
Badge Number: 3721
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: March 31, 2002
Weapon Used: Person; Alcohol involved
Suspect Info: Charged with assault
Deputy Donald Schavolt suffered a fatal heart attack after being kicked in the chest by a juvenile suspect during an arrest attempt in the Casa Del Monte Mobile Home Park.
He and three other deputies had responded to a noise complaint and found the suspect lying in the street when they arrived. The suspect violently resisted arrest and it took four deputies to restrain him.
Deputy Schavolt transported the suspect to a local medical center where he again resisted. Later, Deputy Schavolt went and sat down inside at the hospital and then collapsed. The suspect was charged as a juvenile with second-degree murder, and resisting arrest with violence as a result of Deputy Schavolt's death.
An autopsy determined that Deputy Schavolt's heart attack did not directly result from being kicked in the chest. The suspect's charges were reduced to felony battery, resisting arrest, and two counts of misdemeanor assault.
Deputy Schavolt is survived by his wife and four children.