SAN ANTONIO — Officials say a man jailed in Bexar County died after he was found "unresponsive" in his cell Friday morning, marking the second such incident in as many days at the detention center located just west of downtown.
Francisco Salinas, 41, was arrested and booked into the jail on Tuesday. According to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office (BCSO), Salinas was found unresponsive in his cell by a deputy undergoing routine checks just before 7 a.m. That deputy "immediately began performing life-saving measures" and called for assistance; medical staff at the jail arrived to help, but BCSO says Salinas was pronounced dead at 7:19 a.m.
While the local medical examiner's office has yet to perform an autopsy, BCSO said "it appears that the inmate suffered a medical episode compounded by withdrawal symptoms," adding Salinas had prior chronic conditions requiring "a constant level of care."
A new trend
Sheriff Javier Salazar said the jail facility is seeing a growing number of individuals with severe health issues "and deadly withdrawal symptoms" being booked. On Thursday, BCSO said a man who died earlier in the day, 40-year-old Duane Ventimiglia, also had a history of substance abuse.
"We have taken proactive measures, such as instituting Operation Life Guard, a wide-scale approach to addressing inmate health and welfare. This plan has seen some success," Salazar is quoted as saying in the BCSO release. "We will become more stringent on who we medically accept into our facility. These people would be much better served in a robust medical facility, rather than what we can offer in the jail."
Salazar said Salinas and Ventimiglia both appeared to be detoxing at the time of their deaths, adding BCSO was working to potentially introduce new protocols to help such inmates.
In all, three people have died while in custody at the jail so far this year.
>TRENDING ON KENS 5 YOUTUBE:
----
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members.
