HANFORD, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A man booked into jail by the Kings County Sheriff’s Office died hours later, according to deputies.
51-year-old Rudolph De La Vega was arrested on Tuesday around 1:30 a.m. following a traffic stop on the 9000 block of Highway 41 in Kings County.
A records check established that he had four active warrants issued for his arrest. The deputy placed him under arrest, and he was transported to Kings County Jail an hour later.
According to the sheriff’s office, a deputy noticed that Rudolph was sweating and appeared to require medical attention.
The nurse on staff evaluated Rudolph and established that his condition had worsened since he was admitted to jail. An ambulance was called, but responders were unable to revive him.
Deputies said Rudolph was taken to the morgue, and an autopsy determined that there was a small plastic bag in his stomach that had ruptured.
A test established that the substance inside was methamphetamine. A test on Rudolph established that he was positive for methamphetamine.
The cause of death is yet to be officially determined pending toxicology results.