By Ru Gonzales
San Gabriel Valley Tribune, West Covina, Calif.
AZUSA, Calif. — A man who was released from custody Monday entered an unlocked Azusa police car parked in front of the police department and was found dead early Thursday morning, March 26, police said.
The medical examiner’s office, which will determine the man’s cause of death, has not yet identified him.
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The man was reported missing, police said. But details about who filed the report and when were not available on Thursday afternoon.
The police car was pending mandatory maintenance and was not in use at the time, according to a police statement. It wasn’t clear how long the car had been parked in front of the station at 725 N. Alameda Ave.
The man was arrested Friday on suspicion of driving under the influence and child endangerment, said Azusa Police Capt. Robert Landeros. He was released Monday.
“We had no knowledge he got into a (police) car,” Landeros said.
But a camera had recorded the man entering the backseat of the unlocked police car, he said.
A civilian employee of the police department discovered the unresponsive man at 4:51 a.m. on Thursday, Landeros said. Paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene at 4:59 a.m.
Detectives are conducting an internal investigation which will be submitted to the Justice System Integrity Division of the District Attorney’s Office for review, the statement said.
An outside firm is doing on administrative investigation on why the police car was unlocked, Landeros said.
Police do not release DUI suspects until they are sober and if the suspect has medical issues or experiencing a mental problem, he or she is taken to a facility, authorities said.
Police asked anyone with information to call Detective Lieutenant Steve Sears at 626-812-3200.
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