Handcuffed man dies in back of Kennewick police car

A 25-year-old man died in the back of a Kennewick patrol car after he was was detained during a drug investigation.

A witness called Kennewick police to the 4000 block of West 27th Avenue at 1:30 p.m. after seeing the man rolling around inside of vehicle, Kennewick police said in a release. The caller believed he had used narcotics.

Police are trying to reach the man’s family before releasing his name. Officers also spotted him using drugs inside his car. They started talking to him, and placed him in handcuffs in the back of a patrol car while they investigated.

When officers checked on him a short time later, and he was unconscious and not breathing.

Police took him out of the vehicle and started performing CPR and administered Narcan while they called the Kennewick Fire Department. Medics tried reviving him as well, but he died at the scene.

Since the man was being detained when he died, Kennewick police asked the Regional Special Investigations Unit to handle the investigation into his death.

The unit brings detectives from around Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla counties to investigate deaths involving police. Kennewick officers are not part of the team looking into the death.

Richland police Capt. Brigit Clary is leading the investigation.

The Benton County Coroner’s Office hasn’t scheduled an autopsy.

This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 4:06 PM.