INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The man who was hospitalized and placed on life-support after being transported from the Indian River County courthouse to the jail has died, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
Mitchell Brad Martinez, 37, of Vero Beach died at 8:27 p.m., Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Eric Flowers told VeroNews.com Wednesday morning.
“Our condolences go out to the family,” Sgt. Flowers said, adding that the Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation into what happened during the 8-minute ride between the courthouse and the jail.
Sgt. Flowers said detectives are meeting with the Medical Examiner today and an autopsy has been scheduled for Thursday.
The Sheriff’s Office is also working to secure subpoenas to retrieve records and information from the Indian River Medical Center.
Martinez was placed in an isolated cell in a transport van taking him and seven inmates who were in the larger van hold from the courthouse to the jail on Friday, May 29, when Martinez seemingly collapsed and became unresponsive, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
Though medical personnel began CPR and administering an automated electronic defibrillator – AED – upon finding him unresponsive and unconscious, Martinez was taken to the Indian River Medical Center’s ICU where he was placed on life-support.
Sheriff Deryl Loar said Monday that he is confident that there was no wrong-doing by any member of his staff or by the inmates in the van. He explained that Martinez was fine going into the isolation cell of the van and that no one could have gotten to him while in the van.
