COLUMBUS – The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is waiting for results of toxicology tests to determine if drugs played a role in the death of an inmate at the county jail Saturday.
Brandon Johnson, 19, died after suffering what appeared to be a cardiac arrest at the Franklin County Corrections Center on S. Front Street, Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said.
Johnson was arrested by sheriff’s deputies late Friday night and jailed on charges of domestic violence and assault after he had allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend, Baldwin said.
Johnson appeared to suffer cardiac arrest at approximately 9:30 a.m. Saturday.
Baldwin said deputies and jail medical staff attempted CPR and Columbus Division of Fire medics responded and took Johnson to Grant Medical Center where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
An autopsy performed Sunday by the Franklin County Coroner’s Office was unable to determine a cause of death so toxicology tests were ordered because detectives believe Johnson consumed Illegal narcotics before being arrested and that may have played a role in his death, Baldwin said.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Detective Bureau investigates the deaths of all inmates in county custody, Baldwin said.