A man has died at Johnson County Jail this week — marking the second jail death this year, according to a social media post from the Johnson County Sheriff's Office.
Detention officers found 50-year-old Jason Dale Bailey — identified on the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's website — unresponsive in his cell Tuesday, according to the post. He was pronounced dead at 4:08 a.m. that day, according to the medical examiner's website.
Jails are required to send death custody reports to the Texas Attorney General's Office within 30 days.
Bailey's death report claims he was being escorted to an inmate housing dorm around 3 a.m. Tuesday when he told officers his legs were hurting and "then went to the floor." Jail medical staff began evaluating Bailey's vital signs when an automated external defibrillator was requested — used when someone is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, according to the report.
That's when the report claims Bailey became unresponsive. The report lists Bailey's death at 4:08 a.m.
"[T]he loss of a life is a tragic and difficult moment for those left behind," Johnson County Lt. Keven George said in an email to KERA News Friday. "Whether the deceased was a family member, a close friend, or someone who touched the lives of others, the pain of that loss is real. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, and loved ones of the deceased during this difficult time."
George directed any additional questions to the Texas Rangers, who are investigating Bailey's death.
The medical examiner's office will determine the cause and manner of death through an autopsy, but the AG report shows Bailey had pre-existing medical conditions and that his cause of death may have been caused by that. It also says Bailey appeared intoxicated while in custody.
He was booked into the jail Aug. 23 for a third driving while intoxicated charge and striking an unattended vehicle, according to the report.
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards and the Texas Rangers will conduct independent investigations into his death.
Bailey's death marks the second Johnson County Jail death this year. Steven Charles Lenard, 33, died at the jail July 15 after he was found unresponsive. His cause and manner of death were pending as of Friday.
Penelope Rivera is KERA's Tarrant County Accountability Reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope Rivera at privera@kera.org.
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