(North County Beat) – The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is currently investigating the death of an inmate who suffered a medical emergency at Vista Detention Facility and later died in a hospital.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, deputies conducting a routine safety check at the South Melrose Drive jail discovered the 53-year-old man in distress around 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 14.
Paramedics were called, and the inmate was swiftly transported to a nearby hospital. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead the following evening.
Sheriff’s Lt. Scott Roller stated on Tuesday that the inmate’s identity is being withheld at this time as efforts are underway to locate and notify his family. The inmate, who was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, was believed to have been homeless at the time of his arrest.
The exact cause of the inmate’s death remains undetermined pending the completion of postmortem examinations. This incident has reignited concerns about custody deaths in San Diego County, which have been a recurring issue.
A 2019 report by the San Diego Union-Tribune revealed that San Diego County had a higher rate of inmate deaths compared to other large counties in California. A state audit conducted in 2022 also highlighted inadequate measures in preventing or responding to custody deaths, with the county recording 19 such deaths that year.
