Pubdate: Sun, 11 Dec 2011
Source: Herald Democrat (Sherman,TX)
Copyright: 2011 Herald Democrat
Contact:  http://www.herald-democrat.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2710
Author: Mary Jane Farmer, Herald Democrat

INMATE DIES AFTER BEING TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL

Grayson County Sheriff's Office is awaiting the final toxicology
results regarding the death of Eric Del Hand, 26, who died at a local
hospital Wednesday after being transported there from the Grayson
County Jail.

Sheriff's Office Sgt. Rickey Wheeler said that Mr. Hand had been
arrested by Denison police at 7:15 p.m. on outstanding warrants and
taken to the Denison city jail. He was transferred to the Grayson
County Jail at 8:39 p.m. Wednesday. There, he was placed in a holding
cell until 9:30 p.m., when the jail corrections officers began the
booking process.

It was then that a corrections officer noticed that Mr. Hand was
sweating profusely and called a jail medical employee. Mr. Hand told
the medical employee, Wheeler said, that he was diabetic and not under
the influence of any narcotic. The medical staff member provided Mr.
Hand with juice and crackers in an attempt to raise his blood sugar.

At 10 p.m., the medical staff member noticed that Mr. Hand was not
getting any better and suggested that he be taken to the hospital. Mr.
Hand walked to the transport van and was driven to Texoma Medical Center.

Once at TMC, Wheeler reported, Mr. Hand walked into the emergency room
under his own power and to a treatment room. Once in the treatment
room, Mr. Hand refused treatment and became combative. That continued
with Mr. Hand giving the medical staff problems until around 11 p.m.

At that time, Mr. Hand told a corrections officer that he had
swallowed "hydro weed." Wheeler explained that hydro weed is very
potent form of marijuana that is sometimes soaked in
formaldehyde.

At about 11:40 p.m., Mr. Hand agreed to have his blood drawn. Ten
minutes later, Mr. Hand became worse and he later died at 12:32 a.m.
Thursday.

Mr. Hand's body was sent to the Dallas County Medical Examiner's
Office for an autopsy. The final results of the autopsy will not be
known for several weeks. The Grayson County Sheriff's Office is
conducting the investigation into Mr. Hand's death. The investigation
is ongoing and will only be complete after the results of the autopsy
are final. 
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