Here’s what led up to an inmate’s attempted suicide at the Benton jail
A 34-year-old man claimed he was being hunted by the cartel and climbed on top of a patrol car in the days before he tried to kill himself in the Benton County jail.
Samuel Madrigal-Santana remains hospitalized in serious condition after being found in his cell about 6 p.m. Sunday. He had tried to strangle himself by tying his shirt to a “ligature resistant” sprinkler.
He was being held in cells in the booking area that are used to monitor inmates with mental or physical health issues, said Sgt. Horacio Gonzalez.
A corrections officer had checked on his condition less than 15 minutes before he was discovered in the cell. Corrections officers and medical staff began performing CPR and using a defibrillator.
Benton County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrived on the scene about an hour after the discovery.
“At this stage of the investigations, the injuries do not appear to show signs of outside influence,” Gonzalez said. “Detectives are continuing to review all circumstances surrounding the incident.”
Madrigal-Santana has spent much of the last two months in and out of Benton County jail on misdemeanor charges including intimidation, possession of a controlled substance and wrongful use of a telephone.
His latest problems started on April 16, when he stepped into traffic, Kennewick Commander Ryan Kelly told the Tri-City Herald. A car had to swerve out of the way to avoid hitting him.
He told the officer that the cartel was out to get him, Kelly said. He was taken to Trios Southridge Hospital before being brought to the Benton County jail for disorderly conduct.
The next day, he was taken to Trios Southridge Hospital again for treatment because he was complaining of a medical issue, Kelly said. At the time, he was being released from custody.
Madrigal-Santana followed corrections officers out of the hospital and allegedly climbed on top of their patrol car. He damaged the vehicle and was arrested for malicious mischief.