Fourth Benton County jail inmate dies this year

A Kennewick man struggling with drug addiction died two days after collapsing in the Benton County jail.

Nicholas W. Scully was brought into the Benton County jail Aug. 2 in connection to a 2017 case where he was caught with heroin.

The 39-year-old man tried unsuccessfully to resolve the case through drug court. Court records show Scully had a history of drug addiction.

Jail staff booked Scully in at 4:34 p.m. About 24 hours later, jail staff found him not breathing.

Staff got him breathing again, then took him to Trios Southridge Hospital.

He died there Aug. 5, Benton County Coroner John Hansens said.

The coroner’s office has done an autopsy and is waiting for blood tests before determining what caused Scully’s death.

Scully’s is the fourth death in the jail this year. The jail houses about 600 people.

Benton County Sheriff Jerry Hatcher could not be reached for comment about the death.