The county medical examiner has revealed the cause of death for a 37-year-old man who died inside an out-of-service patrol SUV parked outside the Azusa Police Department days after he was released from custody.
The cause of death for Eric Valencia was hyperthermia, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. The heat-related illness involves extreme overheating of the body.
The medical examiner ruled the manner of death as accidental.
Valencia had been arrested on March 20 at around 10 p.m. for driving under the influence and felony child endangerment, according to the Azusa Police Department. Pending further investigation in the case, Valencia was released from custody at around 12:30 p.m. on March 23.
One minute after he walked out of the police department, surveillance video captured Valencia entering the back seat of Patrol Unit No. 37, which was out of service and due for mandatory maintenance. Three days later on March 26, Valencia was found by an employee preparing to wash the police car at 4:50 a.m..
Family members said they visited the station, located a few blocks from Valencia’s home, in search of answers after his disappearance. Valencia’s relatives filed a missing-person report on March 25, but police were unaware at the time that he had gotten into the unattended vehicle parked nearby.
At a news conference in April, the police chief said that during the arrest and while in custody, no force was used against Valencia.
“While in custody, Mr. Valencia was cared for, provided three meals a day, and was checked every 30 minutes for health and welfare concerns,” Chief Rocky Wenrick said, adding Valencia was given additional food as he was being released.
There were no signs of major trauma on Valencia, and he had a working cellphone with him when he was found, according to Wenrick.
Officials explained out-of-service vehicles are often parked for days or weeks while awaiting equipment installation. Typically, law enforcement vehicles cannot be unlocked from the back seats.
“The vehicle had been left unlocked, and it should have been secured,” Wenrick said.
The police department has retained an independent outside law firm to investigate Valencia’s death, Wenrick added.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Azusa Police Detective Lieutenant Steve Sears at 626-812-3200.