Air Bubble Blamed in Terrell’s Death

The death of Damon Terrell, an Arizona football player from Los Angeles, was caused after an air bubble created by the removal of a catheter got into his heart, according to an autopsy report released Friday.

Terrell, 21, died two weeks ago after spending a month at University Medical Center in Tucson, where he was hospitalized after collapsing during a preseason conditioning run.

Bruce Parks, Pima County’s chief medical examiner, characterized the cause as unusual. Parks’ autopsy report also revealed several other complications that led to Terrell’s deteriorating condition at the time of his death.

One was his “sickle cell trait,” a typically benign variant of sickle cell anemia, a hereditary disease found mainly among blacks.

Ricky Terrell, who was at the hospital when his son died, said: “We’re very much grieving. Right now it is just so painful. We don’t have any comments about anything.”

Arizona teammate Shawn Parnell, who played with Terrell at El Camino College in Torrance, said, “If it was something preventable, it would be even more tragic. It would add to the question, ‘Why him?’ ”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.