EL DORADO, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - The family of an inmate who died from a methamphetamine overdose while in custody at an Arkansas jail is claiming he was refused prompt medical attention.
The Estate of Jacob Allen Jones, by and through his personal representative Catherine Jones, filed a complaint Sept. 1 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas against Crawford County, Jared Entrekin and others, alleging wrongful death and other claims.
According to the plaintiff's complaint, Jones and his uncle David Conrad were pulled over during a routine traffic stop in Crawford County on Oct. 14, 2022. It claims that while sitting in the back of the patrol car, Jones ingested "a small baggie" that Conrad had on his person which likely contained methamphetamine.
They claim that after arriving at the Crawford County Jail and being placed in a cell, Jones began to show symptoms of a lethal overdose reaction and began to sweat and shake and was laying on the ground for hours without receiving any medical attention.
The plaintiff alleges that on Oct. 15, 2022, Jones was found unresponsive, foaming at the mouth and had been seizing for hours. According to the complaint, Jones was finally taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The plaintiffs claim several inmates had approached officers throughout the day about Jones needing medical attention but the officers ignored both Jones' and the other inmates' pleas for help.
The plaintiffs seek monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. They are represented by. Adam Rose and David Powell of The Powell & Rose Law Firm PLLC in Fort Smith.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas case number 2:23-CV-02112-PKH