A Contra Costa County Coroner’s Jury has determined that the in-custody death of a San Ramon man found unresponsive in a holding cell at the Martinez Detention Facility was accidental – occurring after the man swallowed a quantity of cocaine.
Jurors were convened to determine a finding of death for 26-year-old Karthik Kandaswamy of San Ramon, who was pronounced dead at the scene on November 4, 2018 following unsuccessful efforts to revive him.
Jurors heard evidence that Kandaswamy, in custody on suspicion of battery and resisting arrest, swallowed an amount of cocaine known on the street as an “eight ball” in an apparent effort to thwart discovery of the drug by jailers.
Medical records showed Kandaswamy died of “cocaine toxicity” after ingesting the drug.
