Crime & Safety

Police Not at Fault in Homeless Man's Death

Stephen Gregory Gage, 43, died from severe pneumonia and multiple organ failure, according to the Orange County district attorney's office.

Laguna Beach police have been cleared of any wrongdoing in the case of a homeless man who died while in custody, the Orange County district attorney's office reported earlier this month.

In a Dec. 9 letter to Laguna Beach Police Chief Paul Workman, the April 9th death of Stephen Gregory Gage was a result of "severe pneumonia and multiple organ failure," and there was "no evidence of foul play or neglect," Ebrahim Baytieh, senior deputy district attorney, wrote.

According to the investigation letter, Gage was arrested by Laguna Beach police officers on the morning of April 8 after a resident on Ocean Way reported a homeless man was digging through trashcans. Officer Greg Hiler and Officer Rock Wagner responded to the scene and arrested Gage for public intoxication and possession of 0.01 grams of methamphetamine. Hiler and Wagner said Gage was visibly intoxicated, slurring his speech and making unintelligible statements.

During the booking process at the Laguna Beach Police Department, Gage started complaining about swollen legs, pain in his feet and groin area. Hiler took Gage to Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach, where he was evaluated by a doctor who determined he was critically ill and suffering from multi-system organ failure, pneumonia, hypothermia, acute renal failure and other conditions. Gage was released from custody and treated at the hospital.

While under the hospital's care, Gage made no statements about his interaction with police, according to the investigation letter, and did not have any signs of visible injuries on his body.

Gage was admitted into the hospital's Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, where his condition deteriorated. Doctors performed CPR several times and other lifesaving measures, but Gage died around 11:19 a.m. the next day.

An autopsy conducted by Orange County Coroner Chief Forensic Pathologist Dr. Anthony Juguilon on April 11, showed Gage died due to severe pneumonia and multiple organ failure. Methamphetamine and amphetamine were also found in his system.

"No LBPD officers committed any acts that caused the death of Gage," Baytieh wrote. "

Read the full investigation report into Gage's death by the OCDA at orangecountyda.com/docs/stephen_gage_custodial_death_investigation.pdf.

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