2 Pleasanton Cops Cleared Of Wrongdoing In Man's Death

PLEASANTON, CA — The Alameda County District Attorney's office has cleared of wrongdoing two Pleasanton Police officers amid in an investigation into the death of Jacob Bauer, 38, who went into respiratory distress and died in custody, the Mercury News reported. The Alameda County Coroner determined he died as a result of methamphetamine overdose that day.

Charges will not be filed against officers Bradlee Midleton and Jonathan Chin, who responded to the call, the paper reported.

Interim Pleasanton Police Department Chief Craig Eicher said in an emailed statement that the department was satisfied with the depth of the DA's investigation and offered sympathies to the Bauer family.

"We hope that with the investigation complete and the final report released, the healing process can begin for Mr. Bauer’s family, the officers involved, and our community," he wrote.

The case dates back to an on Aug. 1, 2018 call to police, when workers at the Raley's at 5420 Sunol Blvd. became worried for the safety of customers after Bauer began destroying alcohol bottles and slamming a shopping cart on the ground, police said.

When officers arrived, they detained him nearby on Mission Avenue and he resisted the officers, police said. Following a struggle, he was eventually arrested on suspicion of vandalism, theft, resisting arrest and battery on a peace officer.

"Once the suspect was detained in handcuffs, an ambulance was called to transport him to Stanford Valley Care for routine medical clearance," police said in a statement. "As paramedics placed him into the ambulance, the suspect displayed signs of respiratory distress. Paramedics provided immediate medical aid and transported the suspect to Stanford Valley Care where life-saving measures were taken. He was pronounced deceased shortly after arriving at the hospital."

Bauer's parents sued, alleging that he died as a result of his interactions with police, not because of a meth overdose.

The lawsuit alleges that officers restrained Jacob's hands and legs, put a spit mask over his face, and used a stun gun on him several times without a legitimate reason. The family says they contacted the police about their son's condition on four separate occasions leading up to the day of his death.

Rose Bauer accused police of being insensitive and condescending and alleged that one officer told them "Jacob needs to hit rock bottom before he can get help" and suggested in one of those four encounters that they evict their son.

Prior to his passing, Jacob worked as a contracted employee for the file hosting company Dropbox. A few weeks before the incident, his coworkers alerted the police and officers reached out to the family about their concern, the Bauers said.

Jacob was never diagnosed with mental illness because the family was not able to convince him to seek help, Rose Bauer said. They wanted to keep him close to avoid any incidents with police since the family already feared an altercation could be fatal.

"We want to make sure Jacob Bauer did not die in vain," said Jayme Walker, an attorney representing the family. Walker said she hopes that the lawsuit will spark conversation and initiate change in the way officers handle people with mental illness.

— Bay City News and Patch Editor Autumn Johnson contributed to this report