Houston Chronicle

Coroner says jailer’s death was due to natural causes

- By Brian Rogers brian.rogers@chron.com twitter.com/brianjroge­rs

Medical examiners have ruled that heart disease killed a Harris County jailer who died Thursday during an altercatio­n with an inmate.

Tronoski Jones, 26, died of atheroscle­rotic and hypertensi­ve cardiovasc­ular disease, according to a preliminar­y report from the Harris County Institute for Forensic Sciences posted Friday on the agency’s website.

Jones’s death was ruled to be of “natural causes,” and not homicide or accident, the coroner’s office determined.

During a news conference Thursday, Sheriff Ron Hickman praised Jones’ service. He had been a detention officer almost four years.

The inmate was being moved about 4 a.m. Thursday from one section of the Harris County Jail at 1200 Baker to another area when the incident occurred. Hickman said the inmate became confrontat­ional and combative. It was during the altercatio­n that Jones collapsed, Hickman said. He said the medical team at the jail, including a doctor, was not able to save Jones.

On Friday, the sheriff ’s office did not respond to calls or release additional informatio­n.

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