* Ray Chiprez San Jose Resident Dies While in Custody
Published by Staff Writer on July 19, 2011
San Jose Police Press Release July 19th, 2011
On July 17th, 2011, a San Jose Police Officer was responding to an un-related call for service when he observed a disturbance in a vehicle in the area of Modred Drive and North White Road. After observing the suspect vehicle commit a traffic violation, the officer attempted to stop the vehicle. The vehicle failed to yield for several blocks and eventually came to a stop in the middle of the road in the 700 block of High Glen Drive.
During the stop, the officer observed the suspect displaying the objective symptoms of stimulant influence. The officer also determined that the suspect was driving on a suspended license. The suspect gave the officer consent to search the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, the officer located a bindle of what he believed to be illegal narcotics. The officer arrested the suspect and transported him to the police department’s processing center.
While in a holding cell at the processing center, the suspect complained of stomach pain and requested an ambulance. Officers summoned an ambulance and the suspect was able to walk to the ambulance and climb onto the gurney. The ambulance transported the suspect to Valley Medical Center where he went into medical distress. The suspect was placed on life support a short time later. The suspect was continuously evaluated by medical personnel and eventually taken off life support at the request of the family.
The officer has been placed on routine administrative leave. The actual medical cause of the suspect’s death remains under investigation pending autopsy results by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner’s Office.
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Shannon Parsons on Tue, 19th Jul 2011 9:28 pm
Ok-Help me out here-why was the officer placed on paid administrative leave? I understand the suspect died, but NOT at the hands of the officer. Seems to me he partied a little to hard and paid the price! The officer, to me, did his job flawlessly! I know putting officers on administrative leave is routine but under these circumstances??