A 40-year-old Walnut Creek man was found unresponsive last Thursday inside the intake area of the Martinez Detention Facility and was later pronounced dead, county officials said. He had been arrested the day before and booked into the county jail on narcotics charges. Deputies and on-site medical staff performed life-saving measures before paramedics pronounced him deceased.
According to SFGATE, a deputy discovered the man shortly after 9 AM, called in medical staff, and requested help from the fire department and an ambulance. The outlet reports that the sheriff’s office activated the county-wide fatal-incident protocol and that the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office has joined the investigation.
Who Was In Custody
The county identified the man as 40-year-old Patrick Robert Smith. Walnut Creek police arrested Smith on Wednesday and booked him into the Martinez facility on narcotics charges, according to a press release cited by the Contra Costa Herald.
Investigation Under Way
The Sheriff’s Office said the death remains under investigation and the coroner will determine a cause. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600 or email [email protected]. SFGATE also published the county's anonymous tip line, (866) 846-3592.
Background
In-custody deaths at Martinez are uncommon but not unheard of. A January 18 press release from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office detailed an earlier in-custody death at the facility, and the county routinely uses the same fatal-incident protocol when someone dies behind bars.
The sheriff’s office has not released a cause of death or said whether the district attorney's review will lead to criminal charges. Investigators will examine medical records and custody logs as part of the probe, and the coroner's findings are expected to guide any next steps.
