Jail Officials Say Tampering Possible in Inmate Food Poisoning

Twenty inmates in protective custody at the County Jail downtown experienced nausea and vomiting after the evening meal Wednesday, a Sheriff’s Department spokesman said.

“It’s a possibility that someone tampered with the food,” Sgt. Bob Takeshta said Thursday. He said investigators have taken a sample of the food to the county health department for a toxicology test scheduled for completion next week.

The meal, which included roast beef, potatoes, gravy, broccoli, Jell-O and hot chocolate, was served to 20 of the 21 inmates in the protective custody cell at about 4:30 p.m., Takeshta said.

The one person who did not eat dinner showed no symptoms of illness, he said, but the remaining inmates all complained of dizziness and nausea.

“We ate dinner around 4:30, and then right after we were all vomiting and having diarrhea,” said inmate Todd Knivila, 27. “What worries us is that no one else in the entire jail got sick. Just those of us in the protective custody tank.”

Takeshta said the isolated aspect of the incident is of particular concern to the Sheriff’s Department.

Takeshta said meals are prepared by jail staff supervisors or a jail trusty, an inmate who has earned privileges or additional responsibilities.

The inmates were first sent to the dispensary and examined by jail nurses, then taken to nearby hospitals, Takeshta said.

The inmates were divided into two groups of 10 each. One group was taken to Physicians & Surgeons Hospital and the other to UC San Diego Medical Center. The inmates were examined and treated for food poisoning, he said.

Takeshta said that, because the group taken to the medical center complained about foreign matter in its food, all were also treated for hepatitis as a precaution.