Man Involved in Dispute Dies While in Custody

A 28-year-old man believed to be on drugs and involved in a family argument early Monday was restrained by Torrance police officers and died less than an hour later.

Three police officers were called at 12:30 a.m. to an apartment in the 3400 block of Redondo Beach Boulevard where they found Walter Chavarria, of Hawthorne, with his hands around the throat of his 59-year-old mother, Lt. Jack McDonald said.

Relatives reportedly said Chavarria had taken drugs and had been acting strange and paranoid, police said.

Two officers grabbed Chavarria’s arm to pull him away from his mother, who was not identified, while another officer grabbed his ankles to prevent him from kicking, police said.

When Chavarria became extremely combative and refused to follow officers’ orders to put his hands behind his back, McDonald said, the man was handcuffed and his ankles were restrained.

Soon afterward, Chavarria lost consciousness, officials said. Police officers placed the man on his side and monitored his pulse until paramedics from the Torrance Fire Department arrived.

Chavarria was taken to Gardena Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:19 a.m., police said. Cause of death is unknown, pending an autopsy by the Los Angeles County coroner.