Eleazar Hernandez Tarin

CUSTODIAL DEATH REPORT Agency Information ORIGINAL CDR Number: 18-572-C Version Type: VERSION Report Date: 6/27/2018 9:41 AM Status: Submitted Agency/Facility Information Agency Name: Snyder Police Dept. Agency Address: 400 37th St. Agency City: Snyder Agency State: TX Agency Zip: 79549 Director Information Director Salutation: Chief Director First Name: Earl Director Middle Name: Director Last Name: Morrison Reporter Name: Earl Morrison Reporter Email: [email protected] Decedent Information Identity of Deceased Custodial Death Report :: Page 1 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- First Name: Eleazar Middle Name: Hernandez Last Name: Tarin Suffix: N/A Date of Birth: 6/6/1988 Sex: Male Race: Hispanic or Latino Age At Time Of Death: 29 Date/Time of Custody (arrest, incarceration) (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Date/Time of Custody or 6/1/2018 11:04 PM Incident: Date/Time of Death (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Death Date and Time: 6/1/2018 11:54 PM Manner / Cause of Death Has a medical examiner or coroner conducted an evaluation to determine a cause of death? Medical Examiner/Coroner Yes, results Evaluation?: pending What was the manner of death? (select only one) Pending autopsy Manner of Death: results Custodial Death Report :: Page 2 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Medical Cause of Death: Medical Cause of Death: Pending autopsy results Had the decedent been receiving treatment for the medical condition that caused the death after admission to your jail's jurisdiction? Medical Treatment: Not Applicable If death was an accident, homicide or suicide, who caused the death? Who caused the death?: Decedent If a weapon caused the death, what type of weapon caused the death? (Hold CTRL to select all that apply) Type of weapon that caused Not Applicable death?: Was the cause of death the result of a pre-existing medical condition or did the decedent develop the condition after admission? Not Applicable; cause of death was Pre existing medical accidental injury, condition?: intoxication, suicide or homicide If death was an accident, homicide or suicide, what was the means of death? Means of Death: Unknown Location / Custody Information Where did the event causing the death occur? Custodial Death Report :: Page 3 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Street Address: 2707 Ave. J City: Snyder County: Scurry Zip: 79549 What location category best describes where the event causing the death occurred? Location Category: Residence/Home What type of custody/facility was the Decedent in at the time of death: Police Custody Type of Custody: (pre-booking) Specific type of custody/facility: Specific Type of Custody/Facility: Custody of Law Enforcement Personnel subsequent to arrest What was the time and date of the deceased's entry into the law enforcement facility where the death occurred (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Entry Date Time: Entry Date Time N/A: Where did the death occur? Death Location: Medical facility General Information Did any other law enforcement agencies respond to calls for service related to this incident? Other Agencies Respond?: No Custodial Death Report :: Page 4 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- What were the most serious offense(s) with which the deceased was (or would have been) charged with at the time of death? Offense 1: Possession of Narcotics Offense 2: Offense 3: Not filed at time of Were the Charges:: death What were the types of charges or reason for contact? (Hold CTRL to select all that apply) Alcohol / drug Type of Offense: offense At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent display or use a weapon? Decedent display/use of No weapons: At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Yes (select all that Attempt to Injure Others?: apply) Attempted to injure Ways Decedent Attempted To law enforcement Injure Others: personnel At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Appear intoxicated (alcohol or Yes Make suicidal statements?: No drugs): Exhibit any mental health Yes Exhibit any medical problems?: No problems?: Custodial Death Report :: Page 5 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Barricade self or initiate Resist being handcuffed or No Yes standoff?: arrested?: Physically attempt/assault Gain possession of officer's Yes No officer(s): weapon: Verbally threaten other(s) Escape or attempt to Yes No including law: escape/flee custody: Attempt gain possession No officer's weapon: Was the deceased under restraint in the time leading up to the death or the events causing the death? Yes, mark which Under Restraint: restraint devices were used Type of restraint Type of Restraint: Handcuffs Summary of Incident Summary of How the Death Occurred: (max. 30,000 characters) Summary: Incident #18-06-0005 Lt. Brian Haggard June 4th, 2018 On Friday, June 1st, 2018, at about 11:01 PM, Officers with the Snyder Police Department were dispatched to 2707 Ave. J in reference to a 911 call of some type of disturbance that was in progress. Scurry County Dispatch advised officers they could hear a male and female screaming in the background, but dispatch was having a hard time understanding what the female calling party was saying. Officers that responded to this call were Sgt. Randy Ford, Officer Luke Smith, Officer Rustin Webb, Officer JP Wilson and Deputy Fire Marshal Nathan Hines. Scurry County EMS was also dispatched to the scene. Sgt. Ford was the first officer on the scene, and when he arrived, he made contact with a female who came out of the residence and was identified as Frances Cerda Tarin H/F, DOB 12/21/1968, home address of 2707 Ave. J Snyder, Texas. Mrs. Tarin began telling Sgt. Ford that her husband Eleazar Hernandez Tarin H/M, DOB 06/06/1988 had been using large amounts of cocaine for the past two days and was going crazy and was out of control. As Sgt. Ford was speaking to Mrs. Tarin a male later identified as Eleazar Tarin came to Custodial Death Report :: Page 6 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- the front door of this residence dressed only in a t-shirt and underwear. As Mr. Tarin came to the front door, he fell to the ground. Mr. Tarin then got back up and walked to the edge of the roadway where Sgt. Ford was speaking to his wife. Mr. Tarin again fell to the ground where he laid, Sgt. Ford indicated in his report that Mr. Tarin was sweating profusely while he laid on the ground. Sgt. Ford allowed Mrs. Tarin to return the residence in an attempt to get some clothes for Mr. Tarin who was only wearing a t-shirt and underwear. Sgt. Ford indicated when Mr. Tarin was on the ground in front of his residence he seemed to be talking to people that were not there as he may have been hallucinating. As Sgt. Ford continued speaking with Mrs. Tarin, Officer Luke Smith and his rider, Deputy Fire Marshal Nathan Hanes, arrived to assist. Mrs. Tarin returned from the residence with shorts for her husband, but when she tried to hand the shorts to him he became very agitated. Mr. Tarin began kicking at his wife and swinging his arms and attempted to get up. At that time was when officers attempt to detain and place handcuffs on Mr. Tarin for his safety as well as the safety of the officers and Mrs. Tarin, but Mr. Tarin began struggling with the officers in attempt to keep them from handcuffing him. When Mr. Tarin continued to struggle and resist the officers, Sgt. Ford told Mr. Tarin that if he did not comply he would be tazed. When Officer Webb and Wilson arrived, Officer Luke Smith and Deputy Fire Marshal Nathan Hines were still struggling with Mr. Tarin. With the assistance of all the officers and a 5-second drive stun from Sgt. Ford in the lower middle back, they were finally able to handcuff Mr. Tarin. Mr. Tarin continued to struggle with officers and kick his feet. While applying handcuffs to Mr. Tarin, he was face down and still responsive. Officers then stood Mr. Tarin up, so he could be placed into a patrol car. Page 2 As officers stood Mr. Tarin up so he could be taken to a patrol car, officers indicated that Mr. Tarin bowed his chest out, pushed his arms behind him, stood up on his toes, and screamed. Officers placed Mr. Tarin back on the ground where Mr. Tarin continued trying to resist, so leg restraints were placed on Mr. Tarin. By this time, Mr. Tarin had stopped resisting officers and was just lying on the ground face down. As they turn Mr. Tarin on his side, Officer Smith noticed that Mr. Tarin had his eyes closed and was not responding. Officer Smith conducted a sternum rub, but Mr. Tarin did not respond. Officer began checking for a pulse and when they could not obtain one and noticed Mr. Tarin was not breathing, officers placed him on his back still handcuffed and Deputy Fire Marshal Hines and officer Smith began CPR. By this time Scurry County EMS was in route to the scene. Officer Smith and Deputy Hines continued CPR until Scurry County EMS arrived and took over. Snyder EMS continued CPR and transported Mr. Tarin to Cogdell Memorial Hospital in Snyder where Mr. Tarin passed away. He was later pronounced dead at 11:54 PM by Justice of the Peace Ricki Webb. Judge Webb ordered an autopsy by South Plains Forensics in Lubbock Texas, address 202 Ave. Q Lubbock, Texas PS#806-790-961. Sgt. Lea Tarter an investigator with the Snyder Police Department was called out to assist in the investigation. Sgt. Tarter met with Officer Webb at the Cogdell ER where she photographed Mr. Tarin’s body and the injuries. Sgt. Tarter did observe and document the following injuries on Mr. Tarin. She observed a laceration on Mr. Tarins left foot below his third and fourth toes that was approximately an inch in length. Sgt. Tarter also observed that Mr. Tarin had dirt and small rocks present on his legs and feet. Mr. Tarin also had a laceration to his index finger on his right hand that was approximately ½” in length. Mr. Tarin also had scrapes on both knees and a small cut on his left shin. Sgt. Tarter did notice small scrapes on Mr. Tarin’s left check area and dirt around his nose and mustache. Sgt. Tarter also photographed Mr. Tarin’s back and did not see any injuries from where he had been drive stunned. After photographed Mr. Tarin’s body, she and Officer Webb received permission for Mrs. Tarin to returned her residence for further investigation. When Sgt. Tarter arrived back at 2707 Ave. J she began photographing the residence where she noticed blood on the front porch and several places throughout the residence along with broken glass scattered on the floor throughout the house. Several items were broken as if some type of disturbance had taken place inside the residence. Sgt. Tarter and Officer Webb did locate drug items inside the residence such as small baggies with white powder residue, a spoon with white residue along with a scales with white residue. Also located inside the residence was a large hanging framed mirror underneath the north side of the master bed, the mirror had a rolled up $1.00 bill and a yellow rectangular object that had the wording Allway Tools, a razor blade, two white powder lines and white powdery residue. Several of the items seized from the residence did test positive for cocaine. I believe the cuts on Mr. Tarin’s foot and hand are consistent with being inside the residence causing the disturbance and breaking items inside the residence. The evidence seized from Mr. Tarins residence was taken to the Snyder Police Department and logged into evidence. Page 3 On June 4th, 2018 Sgt. Tarter attended the autopsy of Mr. Tarin in Lubbock, Texas. The autopsy was conducted by Dr. Thomas Parson of South Plains Forensics. From the initial report, Dr. Parson’s did not see any signs of injury that would have cause the death of Mr. Tarin. The toxicology report is pending and until that comes back, Dr. Parson could not rule on a manner of death. Sgt. Tarter has been in contact with District Attorney’s Office in Snyder where they will be subpoenaing the medical records on Mr. Tarin from Cogdell Hospital and Scurry County EMS. I have also asked that Sgt. Tarter contact Mrs. Tarin and interview her Custodial Death Report :: Page 7 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- again about this incident. They are scheduled to meet on June 25th, 2018 at the police department. I have spoken with Sgt. Ford, Officer Smith, Officer Webb, Officer Wilson and Deputy Fire Marsh Hines about this case and we discussed each of their reports and the incident itself. I have also reviewed all supplements to this case along with body camera and in-car video footage and photographs. I have found no evidence that any excessive force was used during the incident with Mr. Tarin. From speaking to each of them, it appears that Mr. Tarin was extremely confused and disoriented during the incident. From speaking with the officers at the scene and watching the video’s the majority of the time they are dealing with Mr. Tarin, he is laying on the ground either on his back or face down. The officers were kneeling beside him and holding him with their arms and hands. Once officers noticed that Mr. Tarin was unresponsive they immediately started life-saving procedures. This report along with the in Custodial Death Report will be completed and forwarded to the Texas Attorney General’s Office. The case will also be forwarded to the Scurry County District Attorney Office for review. End of Report Lt. Brian Haggard Custodial Death Report :: Page 8 of 8