Inmate’s death result of coronary disease
Posted on Saturday, August 30, 2008
BENTONVILLE - A Benton County Jail inmate's death was the result of severe coronary artery disease, according to Capt. Mike Sydoriak, head of the Sheriff's Office's criminal investigation division.
Ronnie Bollen, 60, died Jan 16 at Northwest Medical Center in Bentonville after being taken to the hospital by a Bentonville Fire Department ambulance.
On Friday morning, Sydoriak released findings of a preliminary autopsy report from the medical examiner. Bollen's death was primarily the result of coronary artery disease, Sydoriak said.
Bollen, who was homeless, was under the care of doctors at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Fayetteville and was required to take medication daily, Sydoriak said.
Bollen's death was likely precipitated by an altercation he had with his cellmate over a blanket prior to his death, Sydoriak said.
"It was a slapping deal," Sydoriak said. "He got the best of the other inmate. The other guy was holding his hands up, and (Bollen ) was slapping him."
A Bentonville Fire Department ambulance was dispatched at 8: 31 p. m., and Bollen was pronounced dead at 11 p.m. by an emergencyroom doctor.
Sydoriak said officials are still waiting on toxicology results.
Bollen was booked into the jail July 1 after being arrested by Rogers police for theft by receiving. He was being held in jail in lieu of $ 2, 500 bond.
Jail Capt. Hunter Petray said some jailers know how to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation ), but others do not.
Jailers do not have to be certified in the emergency procedure as a requirement to be a jailer, Petray said. "We try to get everyone through the training that we can," Petray said.
According to Petray, there are two defibrillators in the jail, and 10 to 15 people were sent to training on their use. Petray said he did not know if any of those individuals were on duty during Bollen's medical situation.
Petray said the jail also has CPR face shields for jailers if a situation arises in which CPR needs to be performed on an inmate.
Two years ago, an inmate, Felemon Perez Ybardo, died at the Benton County Courthouse. Emergency personnel took Ybardo, 59, to the hospital after being summoned to aid an ill inmate.
Ybardo was later pronounced dead at Northwest Medical Center. An autopsy found that the cause of Ybardo's death was hypertensive arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
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