Santa Barbara Corner settles accidental death of former inmate in custody case

Santa Barbara Corner settles accidental death of former inmate in custody case

Northern Branch Prison | Photo: Santa Barbara County

The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office has released more details about the Sept. 17 incarceration-related death of a former inmate who lost consciousness hours after being booked into the county’s Northern Branch Jail and died in the hospital two and a half weeks later. The Coroner’s Bureau ruled the death of the former inmate, 40-year-old Santa Maria resident Antonio Alvarado Orozco, an accident.

Orozco was arrested Aug. 29 on a felony warrant for probation violation and aggravated assault.

Just hours after his detention and release, Orozco was observed losing consciousness and falling over by staff from Wellpath, the prison’s health care provider. It was later determined that Orozco had suffered a seizure, which led to the fall, according to a news release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. The cause of the attack remains unclear.

Orozco was rushed to Marion Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. While it was previously reported that Orozco did not regain consciousness at the hospital, the sheriff’s office later learned that Orozco regained consciousness and began rehabilitation after his surgery. However, his condition worsened over time and Orozco died on September 17 after being hospitalized for 19 days.

The Coroner’s Bureau concluded that the accidental death resulted from complications of blunt force trauma to the head, which Orozco struck the ground as he fell.

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