The Associated Press
PORT WASHINGTON, Wisc. (AP) -- An investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of a 20-year-old man who died in police custody from suffocation after an officer put a high-tech respirator over his head, has concluded that the incident was accidental, the Ozaukee County, Wisc. coroner said.
Coroner John Holicek said Tuesday the June 19 death of Matthew J. Sheridan of Mequon was an accident.
Mequon, Wisc. Officer Gregory Klobukowski “did not intend to kill” Sheridan when he mistakenly put a high-tech respirator on the young man, believing it was spit bag device that protects officers from saliva, Holicek said.
“He grabbed the wrong bag,” the coroner said of the officer.
Holicek said Sheridan also had a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 and had cocaine in his system.
Sheridan family attorney Merrick R. Domnitz said it expected the ruling because Sheridan did not have any prior medical conditions.
“The family’s heads are still spinning with horror because try as they might every time they close their eyes they think of nothing but the last 5 to 8 minutes of his life in the back seat of that car,” Domnitz said.
Domnitz said he was waiting for Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Dean Roberts to finish his investigation before determining his next step.
The high-tech respirator that was used covers the head and neck and is designed to protect against chemical and biological agents.
Mequon police took Sheridan into custody after finding a pipe used to smoke drugs near where he was sitting in a vehicle, police reports state.
Klobukowski is on administrative leave, which is routine when someone dies while in an officer’s custody.
Klobukowski’s attorney, Michael F. Hart, said that his client had acted in the line of duty.
“When confronted with a dangerous situation, he protected himself and his fellow officers from the acts of a legally intoxicated and drug-influenced person,” Hart said.
“Apparently his unlawful habits and threatening conduct resulted in his accidental death,” Hart said of Sheridan.
Mequon Mayor Christine Nuernberg released a statement saying the death was a terrible tragedy.
“Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the friends and family of Matthew Sheridan and those officers involved in the accident,” she said.
“The medical examiner’s preliminary autopsy report released today is only one element of what we trust will be a thorough investigation into the accident.
“The investigation will help our community ensure that all the details and facts of the incident are explored in order to prevent other tragedies in the future.”