Santa Maria man hospitalized while in Sheriff’s custody died Tuesday
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – On Tuesday, a 40-year-old Santa Maria man died at an area hospital after being taken there while in the custody of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.
The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of his next of kin and the conclusion of an investigation shared the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.
On Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, around 12:52 p.m., a 40-year-old man was booked by officers with the Santa Maria Police Department at the Northern Branch Jail on a felony warrant for probation violation and assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury stated the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office in a press release about the in-custody death Tuesday.
The Santa Maria man was medically screened by Wellpath staff before being processed for intake and no emergency medical conditions were noted at the time detailed the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, the man was housed in B unit of the Northern Branch Jail when, around 7:35 p.m. the night of his intake, a custody deputy saw him lose consciousness while standing and fall to the ground.
Custody staff and Wellpath medical personnel rendered aid and the man temporarily regained consciousness before American Medical Response transported the man to Marian Regional Medical Center for further treatment explained the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.
The man underwent emergency surgery within hours of being admitted, but never regained consciousness before leaving the custody of the Sheriff's Office on Sep. 13 when he was court-ordered to be released detailed the Santa Barbra County Sheriff's Office.
On Tuesday, Sep. 17, around 5:16 a.m., the man was pronounced dead by staff at Marian Regional Medical Center stated the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives from the Sheriff's Office are conducting a criminal and Coroner's investigation of the man's death shared the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.
