A 40-year-old inmate at the Tarrant County jail died Monday after experiencing a medical emergency in his cell, officials said Tuesday.<\/p>\n
His cellmate noticed he was in distress and alerted authorities, according to a written statement from the Tarrant County Sheriff\u2019s Office. Jail personnel began life-saving measures, and medical staff from John Peter Smith Hospital continued treatment after arriving at the jail.<\/p>\n
The unidentified man was taken to JPS Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the sheriff’s office.<\/p>\n
He had been booked into the jail on June 14 after River Oaks police arrested him on a charge of violating a bond or protective order, according to the sheriff\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
During the jail\u2019s standard booking process, officials said, the man refused to cooperate with or consent to a medical assessment. Jail personnel cannot force an inmate to provide medical history or comply with a medical evaluation, the sheriff\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner\u2019s Office will determine the man\u2019s cause of death and release his identity.<\/p>\n
The death appears to be at least the second in-custody death reported at the Tarrant County Jail this year. John Barr, 36, was found unresponsive in his cell in April<\/a> and later pronounced dead at John Peter Smith Hospital.<\/p>\n