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| Inmate dies following Lee jail fight |
| By The News-Press |
| Published: 07/15/2005 |
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A Lee County (Fla.) Jail inmate died in custody late Wednesday, nearly two hours after he brawled with two other inmates at the CORE facility on Ortiz Avenue in Fort Myers, sheriff's officials said. Patrick Owens, 31, of 2040 Eugene Ave. in Fort Myers was pronounced dead at Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center about 10:30 p.m., sheriff's spokeswoman Ileana LiMarzi said. Owens refused medical treatment after the jail fight but collapsed in his cell two hours later, authorities said. A jail nurse performed CPR on Owens before he was rushed to the hospital. A sheriff's office investigation into Owens' death began Thursday. Officials will question inmates and corrections deputies, ensuring proper procedures were followed during the final hours of Owens' life. Jail officials said the fight between Owens and fellow inmates Terrance Little, 24, and Wayne Cruz, 28, began over a disagreement about items sold at the jail's canteen, which includes candy bars, snacks, toiletries and T-shirts. Little and Owens may have accused Cruz of stealing their canteen items before they ganged up on him in a cell block on the first floor, said Maj. Michael Waite, commander of the sheriff's detention bureau. By the time corrections deputies arrived, the fight had pretty much ended, according to Waite. Deputies did not use force such as pepper spray, Tasers or batons on the three inmates during the melee, Waite said. The men were separated by the deputies, LiMarzi said. "It was a really quick fight," Waite said. "It was all fists and kicking. There were no weapons involved. "The officer saw the fight in progress and called for assistance, which is what he is supposed to do." |
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