Jail Death Confirmed as Drug Overdose

Toxicology reports in the case of a suspected cocaine user who was found dead in the Santa Paula jail last week 10 hours after his arrest have confirmed that the man died of a drug overdose, the coroner’s office announced Wednesday.

“Toxicology tests and autopsy tests indicate high levels of cocaine and lidocaine” in Daniel Guajardo’s blood at the time of death, County Assistant Medical Examiner Ronald O’Halloran said in a prepared statement.

“The death is being certified as an accidental overdose of cocaine and lidocaine,” he said.

Lidocaine is an anesthetic drug sometimes used as a cutting agent with cocaine, O’Halloran said.

Despite the announcement by the coroner’s office, Douglas L. Stenzel, an attorney hired by the Guajardo family to investigate Guajardo’s death for possible civil rights violations, said he is dissatisfied with the coroner’s brief explanation of the cause of death.

“I still don’t have anything from the Santa Paula Police Department,” he said. “I can’t comment until I see the toxicology report, autopsy report, coroner’s investigation and the arrest report.”

Stenzel said he requested these documents in writing from Santa Paula Police Chief Walter H. Adair on Saturday. Adair said he would release them once the investigation is completed, but Stenzel said he will seek a court order to obtain them if the chief doesn’t release the documents by the end of this week.

Stenzel also had San Bernardino County Coroner Irving Root perform a private autopsy on Guajardo’s body as part of the investigation.

“The county coroner’s reports will be reviewed by Dr. Root to see if there are any differences with his findings,” Stenzel said.

Guajardo’s family has been critical of the Santa Paula police for not taking Guajardo to the hospital after he was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of cocaine. Adair countered that his officers followed proper procedures and didn’t know Guajardo’s health was at risk from his alleged drug use.

Adair and Guajardo’s widow, Frances Marie, on Wednesday declined to comment on the toxicology report.