Sheriff Bianco Releases Details Of In-Custody Death

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco held a news briefing late Monday afternoon to discuss a suspect's death following the use of force on the man by his deputies at a Jurupa Valley Stater Bros. market.

Store video surveillance and body-camera footage of the incident were provided during the nearly one-hour briefing that showed 33-year-old Ernie Serrano struggle with five male deputies before he was restrained by force and subsequently stopped breathing on the aisle 1 checkout stand of the 5571 Mission Boulevard store location.

Bianco opened the news briefing with condolences to Serrano's family, and called the December 15 death a "sad and tragic event."

He continued to explain that Serrano's encounter with his deputies actually began around 6 p.m. December 14, when the Jurupa Valley man's family members called to report that he had taken methamphetamine and was "out of control."

During the incident, deputies used a Taser gun on Serrano before he was eventually arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

But Serrano was released from custody at approximately 9 a.m. the following morning. Later that same day, he showed up at the Stater Bros. store and appeared confused and under the influence, according to Bianco.

Wearing dark baggy pants, an olive green khaki shirt and white tennis shoes, Serrano was shown on the store's video surveillance wandering through the checkout aisles.

Over a period of two to three hours, Serrano walked in and out of the store attempting to make purchases. After running out of money, he even tried using his driver's license to pay, according to Bianco.

The 20-minute muted store surveillance video showed Serrano maneuvering in and out of checkout aisles 1 and 2 as other customers made purchases. Store employees appear to engage Serrano, but with no sound it's unclear what was said.

At one point, two security guards try and forcibly detain Serrano. According to Bianco, during the tussle Serrano tried to remove a guard's firearm.

Within a short period, deputies arrive and take over, the video showed. The five deputies apprehend Serrano by use of force that included strikes with a Taser gun and blows to his extremities with a police baton.

Serrano is quickly handcuffed and placed head down on the aisle 1 conveyor belt by the deputies, some of whom use their strength and body weight to hold him down.

Bianco also provided footage from a deputy's body-worn camera that included audio.

Serrano, whose face was bloodied during the encounter, can be heard grunting and pleading with deputies.

"Let me go, please. Please let me go, please," he's heard saying.

He screams at one point and tells deputies, "I'm Ernie Serrano."

"Ernie, we know who you are," one of the deputies says.

"Keep calm man," a deputy tells Serrano.

A spit mask was eventually applied on Serrano, who remained face down on the conveyor belt. A short time after, the deputies realize their suspect is no longer breathing.

"He's not breathing. Cut off the mask," a voice is heard saying.

Serrano's still body was moved to the ground. Medical personnel, including Cal Fire, are shown immediately providing life-saving measures on the unconscious man. At one point, a voice in the background says, "Yesterday's pulse was at 190 when we contacted him."

According to Bianco, a preliminary report from the coroner's bureau showed methamphetamine, benzodiazepine and marijuana in Serrano's system. Bianco stressed that full toxicology and coroner's reports were not yet available.

Serrano did have run-ins with law enforcement in Los Angeles and Oranges counties for drug, assault and resisting arrest, according to Bianco. The Dec. 14-15 incidents were his first arrests in Riverside County, according to Bianco.

The fatal incident is under investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

Protocol with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department is to place involved deputies on administrative leave while an investigation is underway.

A prayer rally was held Sunday in Jurupa Valley in Serrano's memory, with attendees calling for answers about his death.

A GoFundMe page created by Justice for Ernie to help cover funeral costs raised more than $19,000 as of Monday evening.

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