Man found dead in unlocked Azusa police patrol car three days after release
Eric Valencia, 37, entered an out-of-service patrol car outside Azusa PD after being released and was found dead three days later. Family demands answers.
Man found dead inside Azusa police car three days after DUI release
A 37-year-old man was found dead inside an out-of-service patrol car parked outside the Azusa Police Department, three days after he had been released from custody, nbclosangeles.com reports.
Eric Valencia had been arrested on 20 March at around 10 p.m. on suspicion of driving under the influence and felony child endangerment. After the LA County District Attorney's office dropped the charges pending official laboratory results from his blood test, Valencia was released at approximately 12:30 p.m. on 23 March.
Surveillance footage captured Valencia entering the back seat of Patrol Unit #37 — an out-of-service vehicle awaiting mandatory maintenance — just one minute after he walked out of the police department. He was discovered three days later, on 26 March at 4:50 a.m., by an employee preparing to wash the car.
Valencia's sister-in-law, Julia McCormick, who has known him for 28 years, said the family had visited the police station to file a missing persons report before learning he had been in the vehicle the entire time.
"Come to find out that he was here in a car the whole time. The whole time," McCormick said. "We want to know what happened. Please, please, we want answers."
Following protests from family members that police were withholding information, the Azusa Police Department held a news conference on Monday afternoon, showing surveillance video of Valencia from the moment of his arrest through to when he entered the patrol car.
Police Chief Rocky Wenrick stated that no force was used against Valencia at any point during his arrest or time in custody. "While in custody, Mr. Valencia was cared for, provided three meals a day, and was checked every 30 minutes for health and welfare concerns," Wenrick said, adding that Valencia was given additional food at the time of his release.
Wenrick confirmed there were no signs of major trauma on Valencia's body, and that he had a working cellphone with him when he was found. Officials noted that out-of-service vehicles are routinely parked for days or weeks while awaiting equipment installation, and that law enforcement vehicles are typically not unlockable from the inside of the back seat.
"The vehicle had been left unlocked, and it should have been secured," Wenrick acknowledged.
The Azusa Police Department has retained an independent outside law firm to investigate Valencia's death. The LA County Medical Examiner is conducting a separate investigation. The official cause of death has not yet been determined.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Azusa Police Detective Lieutenant Steve Sears at 626-812-3200.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)