Inmate Found Dead Today At North County Detention Center

A Sonoma County jail inmate was found dead in his cell early this morning, a county sheriff’s sergeant said.

Diego Armando DePaz, 31, of Santa Rosa, was serving a 15-day sentence in the North County Detention Facility in Santa Rosa for violating his probation in a misdemeanor DUI case.

He was given until Monday to begin serving his sentence and turned himself in around 7 p.m., Sgt. Cecile Focha said.

An inmate noticed DePaz was not stirring during the morning’s noise, lights and announcements around 4:50 a.m. today, Focha said.

When a correctional deputy checked DePaz’s bunk he found him unresponsive, Focha said.

Other deputies and a jail nurse responded and continued lifesaving efforts with oxygen and an Automated External Defibrillator until fire department paramedics arrived, Focha said.

DePaz was pronounced dead at 5:14 a.m.

Standard medical and psychological intake screening disclosed no concerns, and there were no behavioral or medical incidents while DePaz was in custody, Focha said.

DePaz was not assigned to a work crew and the reason for his death is not immediately obvious, Focha said.

The Sonoma County District Attorney’s and Sheriff’s offices usually investigate inmate deaths, but the Marin County Sheriff’s Office’s coroner’s division will conduct an autopsy and investigate the cause and manner of the death, Focha said.

--Bay City News