Greene County inmate dies after violent altercation
A 54-year-old man died this week after the Greene County Sheriff’s Office said he appeared to be experiencing a drug overdose and was being violent as he was booked into jail.
Springfield police arrested Darrell Thorne on Monday following a trespassing call and said that Thorne attempted to escape a patrol vehicle by kicking out a window. He continued to be combative at the jail, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office, which said multiple staff members tried to identify him through fingerprinting.
Thorne, who allegedly injured a detention officer shortly after arriving at the jail, was determined by an on-site nurse to have overdosed, according to the sheriff’s office. He was reportedly given Narcan as jail and medical staff performed life-saving measures before transporting Thorne to a local hospital.
In its statement, which was sent after the News-Leader had inquired about a death at the jail, the sheriff’s office said it learned Friday from the medical examiner that Thorne had died. The sheriff’s office said it requested an autopsy and that an investigation is ongoing.
“Unfortunately, we have seen a significant increase in drug overdoses and fatalities,” Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott said in the statement. “I am very concerned about this trend that continues to affect our community.”
Thorne’s passing marked the fourth reported Greene County Jail-related death in recent months.
In January, the sheriff ’s office reported that inmate Michael Hill, 49, died after reportedly being found unresponsive in his cell. On Dec. 5, it was reported that inmate Jeffrey L. Gilmore, 44, died after an unspecified medical issue. On Nov. 12, inmate Austin Bond, 32, died after the sheriff’s office said he suffered a seizure and fell from his jail bunk.
Ryan Collingwood covers a wide range of topics for the News-Leader with an emphasis on public safety. He can be reached by phone at 417-258-8174 and email at rcollingwood@news-leader.com. You can also follow Ryan on social media at X.com/rwcollingwood.