(Chatham) — An inmate at the Pittsylvania County jail died late Tuesday morning—State Police are investigating.
Pittsylvania County Sheriff Mike Taylor says jailors saw 28-year old Dustin Spake slumped over in his cell at 11-40 Tuesday morning. They immediately called for assistance. Staff and other deputies began CPR and called for emergency medical assistance. The jail’s medical staff, and Pittsylvania County’s Emergency Medical Services along with Chatham EMS responded. A medic declared Spake dead at the scene less than an hour later.
Spake was arrested by the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the County Jail April 22 on a misdemeanor charge of assaulting a family member. A magistrate granted him a $10,000 secured bond. When Spake did not post the bond, he was booked into jail and given an initial medical and mental health screening. Medical staff found no signs of distress at that time nor in the days that followed.
All in-custody deaths are investigated by Virginia State Police. There will also be an internal investigation by the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office. They’ve reported the death to the Virginia Department of Corrections. They also review all in-custody deaths and they have the authority to investigate.
Sheriff Taylor says no foul play is suspected. An autopsy has been scheduled with the Chief Medical Examiner of the Western District of Virginia to determine the cause and manner of death.
Sheriff Taylor and the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office send their sincere condolences to Spake’s friends and family.