Officers cleared in case of man who died of overdose after being handcuffed

WEST JORDAN — A person who died shortly after being positioned in handcuffs by West Jordan police handed away resulting from drug toxicity and never due to the actions of the officers, the Salt Lake County District Lawyer’s Workplace mentioned Friday.

“Whereas Mr. (Orlando Toro) Garcia’s dying occurred after he was handcuffed, the first reason for his dying was combined drug toxicity. Primarily based upon the details and proof earlier than us, we don’t imagine it doubtless that his dying resulted from the officers’ makes an attempt to realize bodily management of him. There may be nothing outstanding from the video footage to even infer that the actions of the officers have been something aside from cheap efforts to stabilize the scene in order that emergency medical responders might safely enter and supply medical assist to Mr. Garcia,” District Lawyer Sim Gill said in his report.

On Aug. 27, 2023, police have been known as to a house close to 4800 West and 6300 South about 1:40 a.m. on a report of a person probably overdosing. Whereas officers have been en route, a 911 dispatcher “suggested that he was violent and ‘on the lookout for issues that are not there,'” the report states.

Officers arrived to search out Garcia, 32, sitting and partially mendacity on the entrance garden. His brother and the brother’s spouse have been standing close by ready for police.

Physique digital camera movies launched Friday present the brother telling arriving officers Garcia is “going loopy” and “he must be in a hospital.” The brother, nonetheless, can be involved that police might damage Garcia and tries to get reassurance a number of instances that they may take him to a hospital and never shoot him.

West Jordan officers Matthew Collins and Nolan Butler strategy Garcia and inform them they’re there to assist.

“You are going to be OK, Orlando,” one officer tells him, whereas repeating a number of instances that they don’t seem to be going to shoot him.

The officers ask Garcia to lie on his abdomen to allow them to handcuff his arms behind his again for security and to examine for weapons earlier than medical crews can strategy. Garcia, nonetheless, begins to groan and battle with the officers who attempt to inform him, “You are good” and, “We’ll get you assist.” Garcia’s brother makes an attempt to carry down Garcia’s flailing legs, however is advised a number of instances by officers to again away from the scene.

The officers are seen within the movies rolling Garcia onto his aspect after he’s handcuffed to attempt to get grass out of his mouth. However simply seconds later, an officer notes Garcia is popping blue.

“Seems like he is seizing or choking,” an officer says as he tells medical personnel to enter the realm,

The officers then take away {the handcuffs}, which have been on Garcia about 1½ minutes, roll him onto his again and begin to carry out CPR.

“Hearth continued offering emergency medical assist for over 20 minutes, nonetheless, Mr. Garcia didn’t regain consciousness,” the report states.

An post-mortem by the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Workplace “decided that Mr. Garcia died because of combined drug toxicity — cocaine, cocaethylene, oxycodone, and buprenorphine,” the report states.

The post-mortem additionally decided that Garcia’s situation might been exacerbated by him struggling towards {the handcuffs}.

“Whereas the physiologic mechanism of dying throughout restraint just isn’t utterly identified, an exertion akin to this could exacerbate the stress already positioned on his cardiovascular system by his cocaine utilization,” the Medical Examiner’s Workplace said.

As a result of Garcia’s dying was not a results of the officers’ try to realize management of him, it “doesn’t qualify as an ‘officer-involved important incident,'” Gill said in his report. “We imagine the details on this case are in step with lawful efforts to stabilize the scene for emergency medical responders and to supply emergency medical assist, and additional imagine that the officers responded moderately based mostly on the data identified to them on the time and because the scenario advanced.”