Man yelling for help in traffic in El Cajon is arrested, dies before EMTs arrive

A 52-year-old man died after he was taken into custody while running in traffic and yelling for help in El Cajon, authorities said Sunday.

The man was taken into custody Jan. 4 but died in a hospital Saturday.

Officers responded about 6 a.m. Jan. 4 to the area of Magnolia and West Chase avenues, according to the El Cajon Police Department.

A man was reported running in traffic and yelling for help, police said. He refused to follow the commands of the officers and lay face down on the street.

Officers handcuffed the man, applied soft restraints to his ankles and called for paramedics to evaluate him, the ECPD stated. Before paramedics arrived, the man became non-responsive. Officers gave him Narcan and performed CPR before paramedics arrived and took him to a hospital, where he died nearly two weeks later.

The man’s name was not immediately released.

The death was under investigation as an in-custody death because force was used to subdue the man, police said.

San Diego Police Department homicide detectives were expected to work with the Medical Examiner’s office to determine whether the use of force played any role in the man’s death and the San Diego County District Attorney’s office will determine whether the officers bear any criminal liability for their actions, El Cajon police said.

The ECPD will also investigate its officers’ actions and federal law enforcement will monitor the probe.

Anyone with information about the death was asked to call homicide detectives at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888- 580-8477.