San Ramon Man's Death At Martinez Jail Ruled Accidental

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA – The 2018 death of a San Ramon man who died in custody of the Contra Costa County Sheriff's office has been ruled accidental by a county Coroner’s Jury, it was announced Thursday.

The case dates backs to November 3, 2018 at about 11:27 p.m. when sheriff's deputies in the Martinez Detention Facility's intake area were alerted to a medical situation in a holding room. When they got to the room, deputies found an unresponsive inmate and called for medical personnel, according to the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies and jail medical personnel administered CPR on the inmate, and an ambulance and the fire department were called, according to the sheriff's office.

The inmate, identified as 26-year-old Karthik Kandaswamy of San Ramon, was pronounced dead at the scene on November 4, 2018, according to the sheriff's office.

Kandaswamy had been arrested by the San Ramon Police Department earlier in the day of November 3, 2018 for battery and resisting arrest.

An investigation into Kandaswamy's death was conducted by the sheriff and DA offices. In making its finding in the manner of his death, the Coroner's Jury was asked to choose between four options: accident; suicide; natural causes; or at the hands of another person, other than by accident

According to reporting by Bay Area News Group, officials testified at a Contra Costa County coroner’s inquest hearing Thursday morning that Kandaswamy's death was caused by cocaine toxicity. He allegedly ingested “an eight ball” of the narcotic while in a holding cell, according to the news report.