COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Two of three baggies full of drugs swallowed by a man being held on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs ruptured, killing him, El Paso County sheriff's officials said Monday.
Dustin Elbert, 34, died Sunday afternoon after a guard found him unresponsive during dinner.
An autopsy found the baggies inside, El Paso County sheriff's spokesman Clif Northam said in a statement.
Northam said he did not immediately know what drugs Elbert swallowed.
Elbert was being held on several charges, including a felony parole violation warrant for escape and dangerous drugs, possession of methamphetamine, and driving under the influence of drugs. He had been arrested Saturday during a traffic stop.
A telephone listing for Elbert in the Colorado Springs area could not be immediately found. It was unclear whether he had retained an attorney.
Sheriff Terry Maketa said of the 16 times Elbert had been booked at the county jail, 13 included drug possession charges.
"Mr. Elbert's criminal history clearly demonstrates the results of continued abuse of alcohol and illegal drugs," Maketa said in a statement. "His tragic death will hopefully cause others living a similar lifestyle to see an urgent need to get help and change their course before its too late."
Elbert lived in El Paso County, near the Widefield area.
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