Lawsuit Holds Police in Oregon City Negligent in Man’s Death February 1, 2021
The sister of an Oregon man who died of asphyxiation in a Eugene police car after wrapping a seatbelt around his neck has filed a $9 million wrongful death suit against the city and police department.
The federal civil rights suit alleges police failed to recognize that Michael Amador Sanchez, 34, was suffering from a mental health crisis, failed to properly secure him in the patrol car to monitor his conduct in the rear seat or summon an ambulance to properly care for him.
The suit, filed by his sister Isabel M. Mihalich in U.S. District Court in Eugene Friday, seeks $6 million in non-economic damages and $3 million in economic damages, as well as unspecified punitive damages, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
The sister of an Oregon man who died of asphyxiation in a Eugene police car after wrapping a seatbelt around his neck has filed a $9 million wrongful death suit against the city and police department.
Only one person was found in the vehicle midday Monday, Eugene Police Department spokesperson Melinda McLaughlin said.
On Tuesday, McLaughlin added that the death does not appear suspicious, and elaborated Wednesday that the case is being investigated as a probable suicide.
On Monday, the medical examiner was called, retained jurisdiction and will carry out a death investigation, McLaughlin said.
As of Wednesday, there had not yet been an autopsy.
This story will be updated when information becomes available.
Contact reporter Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick at Tatiana@registerguard.com or 541-521-7512, and follow her on Twitter @TatianaSophiaPT. Want more stories like this? Subscribe to get unlimited access and support local journalism.
Potential charges to come for 3 people arrested at Saturday anti-socialism rally in Eugene
Three people arrested at an anti-socialism rally Saturday in Eugene won t be arraigned on any potential charges until later this month and early February.
The three people were arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct after a physical fight broke out just before 1 p.m. Saturday. Instead of charges being filed through the District Attorney s Office, the three were sent to Eugene City Prosecutor s Office for potential charges.
Eugene Police Department chose to send these cases to the city prosecutor instead of the Lane County District Attorney s Office, said Deputy District Attorney Chris Parosa. Since the potential charges were misdemeanor violations, the city can prosecute those. If they had been felonies, they would have gone to the DA.