Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Corrections deputies assigned to the Delta Housing Unit requested medical assistance for an unresponsive inmate on Tuesday around 4:55 a.m. Corrections deputies and medical personnel immediately responded to the unit and began to render life-saving medical aid including CPR and the use of an AED.
Upon arrival of fire and EMS personnel, the inmate, Christopher Dewayne Ohara, was transported to a local medical facility for further treatment, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Ohara was arrested on Saturday, and was being held at the Hamilton County Jail for the following charges:
- Driving on a revoked or suspended license
- Driving under the influence
At this time, preliminary findings at the scene suggest the incident is likely related to a medical event, as there are no indications of foul play, trauma, or drug use during Ohara’s time at the facility.
At the direction of Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office has been directed to investigate this in-custody death. The deceased has been transported to the Hamilton County Medical Examiner’s Office where they will determine the cause and manner of death.
The administration has directed an internal review of the incident in order to ensure all policies, practices and procedures were followed appropriately.