The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating after a man passed out in a Faribault police squad car and died while being taken to jail, the department said Tuesday.
Man dies in Faribault police custody on the way to jail, BCA investigating
The medical responders evaluated the man and deemed him clear for transport to jail, the department said. The man lost consciousness while in a squad car on the way to Rice County Jail.
September 6, 2023 at 3:41AM
A Faribault Police Department officer initiated a traffic stop just before midnight Saturday near the intersection of West Division and Fourth Street NW, the department said in a news release.
The department said the driver failed to pull over and continued at a low speed. More officers responded, and they noticed the driver going in and out of consciousness but continuing to drive, the release said. Police used a low-speed pursuit intervention tactic (PIT maneuver) to stop him, the release states.
The man was taken into custody for suspected driving while intoxicated and an ambulance was requested, the release states. The medical responders evaluated the man and deemed him clear for transport to jail, the department said.
While in a squad car on the way to the Rice County jail, the man lost consciousness and became unresponsive, the release states. An ambulance was called again, and officers began life-saving efforts including CPR and Narcan, which is used to treat narcotic overdoses in emergency situations.
He was taken to Allina Health Faribault Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The officers' marked cars were equipped with portable and mobile cameras that were active during the incident, the release states.
The Faribault Police Department requested assistance from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension because the case involves a man who died in police custody.
The BCA responded early Sunday and have taken over the investigation. The bureau will work with the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office on the circumstances and cause of death, the release said.
Faribault Police Chief John Sherwin wrote in the release the department would not provide more detail on the case.
"The Faribault Police Department is committed to an impartial and transparent investigation as we send our condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased," Sherwin said in the release.
A sergeant for the department declined to provide additional comment and directed questions to the BCA.
The BCA did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday evening.
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