By admin 
EL MIRAGE, AZ (AZFamily) — Medical examiners have determined the cause of death of a man who died while in El Mirage police custody this summer.
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The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Peter Patin Jr., 35, died from cardiac dysrhythmia stemming from cocaine use and ruled his death an accident. Officials say atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) — plaque buildup in arterial walls — and chronic drug use were contributing factors.
On July 4, El Mirage police were called to investigate a domestic violence call at a home near El Mirage and Cactus roads. The medical examiner’s report notes that Patin had become physically aggressive and was throwing objects at family members, including children. Family members also told authorities that Patin had used cocaine earlier that day.
As officers arrived, investigators say Patin was “physically aggressive with officers” and described him as “belligerent and noncompliant.” Officers used Tasers to get Patin out of the house and had to use physical force to handcuff him, according to the report.
Body-camera video reportedly shows Patin screaming at officers as he was being restrained. As officers sat him up, he continued to “scream and babble loudly.” As he was being walked out, he stopped walking and tried to sit on the ground, but officers picked him up and carried him across the street, the report details.
As described in the report, body cam shows Patin sitting on the sidewalk loudly talking, babbling and excessively sweating. He reportedly said, “I can’t breathe,” once while still sitting, but continued to “talk and babble rapidly.”
The medical examiner noted that no officers were putting weight on Patin’s body, restraining him in a way that could affect his breathing, or using other restraint methods, such as chokeholds, pepper spray or Tasers.
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Officers reported that Patin was lying on his side when his breathing changed and he became unresponsive. He was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.
“Based upon my review of these videos, at the time he becomes unresponsive, there was no inordinate weight placed on his torso and no apparent compression of his neck. There was no scene or video evidence to indicate that restraint or any other direct trauma from the officers caused or contributed directly to his cardiac arrest and his death,” the report states.
Medical records showed he had a history of cocaine use. A toxicology report showed Patin had cocaine in his system, along with benzoylecgonine, a metabolite produced by cocaine.
“There is no scene or autopsy evidence to indicate that torso or neck compression, application of the electrical restraint device, or physical trauma played any role in this man’s death,” the report said.
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