A Williamson County Deputy has been fired after allegedly beating a young girl at a local barbecue restaurant.

Wilco Deputy Jack Danford was at Oakwood Bar BQ on March 3, 2018 meeting his daughter, Megan, and daughter's boyfriend, Dahvi Winstead. According to court documents, Danford told his daughter he had been drinking all day.

Megan told police that while having another beer with them, Danford noticed a small dog and petted it. A young girl then came up to start playing with the dog. Megan told police that's when her father quickly jumped out of his seat and tackled the 12-year-old girl.

Danford then began punching the girl in the face, according to court documents. Megan said she tried to kick, grab and hit her dad in an attempt to get him off the 12-year-old. Her boyfriend also reportedly tried, without success.

Another man, Russell Cope, who knew the victim, told police he was unloading wood for the restaurant when the young girl went to retrieve Cope's dog. That's when he says he heard screams that sounded like "bloody murder, like a pit bull was attacking her."

“I seen him on top of her, he was hammer fisting her, it was like UFC style,” said Russell Cope, victim’s stepdad. He ran to the patio and attempted to punch Danford in the face, but he told police it didn't phase the former deputy. That's when Cope kicked Danford with his steel-toed boot in the head and Danford finally rolled off the victim and appeared unconscious, according to court documents.


Megan told police there had been no prior interaction between the young girl and her father.

“I was like screaming, and saying help and all that,” said the victim.

Police responded to the scene and arrested Danford for public intoxication, which police say he resisted. The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment of her injuries.

Danford is now being charged with Injury to a Child, a third degree felony.