By Henry K. Lee
The San Francisco Chronicle
SANTA RITA, Calif. — An inmate at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin died after he charged at Alameda County sheriff’s deputies and was subdued with the help of Taser shock weapons, authorities said Thursday.
Martin Harrison, 50, of Oakland died at a hospital early Wednesday, two days after the jail incident, sheriff’s Sgt. J.D. Nelson said.
Harrison had been arrested by Oakland police Friday for allegedly driving while intoxicated.
At about 7 p.m. Monday, Harrison began acting erratically, breaking a food tray and flooding his cell by overflowing his toilet, Nelson said. Deputies found Harrison hiding behind a mattress, and the inmate told them that someone was trying to kill him, authorities said.
Harrison charged at deputies when they tried to handcuff him to move him to another cell so his could be cleaned, Nelson said.
Two deputies shocked Harrison with Tasers. Harrison was taken to the jail’s medical center, where he collapsed that night, Nelson said.
The deputies who used their Tasers have been placed on routine paid administrative leave pending an investigation into Harrison’s death.
The Alameda County coroner’s office said it is awaiting the results of toxicology tests, which could take two months, before determining a cause of death.
Copyright 2010 San Francisco Chronicle