MAN, 67, DIES IN JAIL DAY AFTER DUI ARREST
A 67-year-old man died in county jail in downtown San Diego Tuesday, a day after he was arrested in a suspected drunken driving crash in Oceanside that left a motorcyclist with lifethreatening injuries.
Sheriff’s Department officials identified the man as Robert Shuey of San Clemente. He is the second person to die in local jail custody this year.
Shuey was found unresponsive in his cell Tuesday evening during an hourly safety check, sheriff ’s homicide Lt. Chris Steffen said in a news release. Per policy, the department’s homicide unit investigates all deaths of people in custody.
A day earlier, Oceanside police arrested Shuey on suspicion of drunken driving and colliding with a motorcycle about 6:15 p.m. on state Route 76 near Benet Road. Oceanside police said the motorcyclist sustained life-threatening injuries.
According to Steffen, Oceanside police took Shuey to a hospital for a medical evaluation. The hospital cleared him just before 4 a.m., and police booked him into the Vista Detention Facility.
About seven hours later, at 11 a.m., deputies took him to the Central Jail in downtown San Diego. He was found unresponsive in his cell about 8 p.m.
Jail and medical staffers attempted life-saving measures until paramedics arrived and took over. Shuey died before he could be taken to a hospital.
Earlier this month, a 33year-old man died days after he was found unresponsive in a Vista jail cell. Last year, a record 19 people died in San Diego County jail custody, and a 20th person who had been hospitalized died shortly after he was released for medical reasons.
In 2021, a state auditor investigated local jails, a probe prompted by 185 deaths in county jails over 15 years. The audit, released a year ago, found the Sheriff ’s Department failed to prevent and respond to the deaths.
Last month, the department issued an update highlighting some of its progress, including voluntary drug and alcohol screening at booking with an eye toward addressing withdrawals, and taking steps toward providing 24hour mental health services.