Fatal Overdose at North County Jail

Update by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
December 29, 2022

The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office is releasing additional information from the in-custody death at the Northern Branch Jail that occurred on Wednesday, December 28, 2022.

The deceased inmate has been identified as 33-year-old Jaime Angel Gonzalez from Santa Maria. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to provide additional updates upon the conclusion of the investigation.

By the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
December 28, 2022

On Wednesday, December 28, 2022, at approximately 7:49 a.m., patrol deputies from the Sheriff’s Santa Maria Station responded to the 800 block of Redwood Avenue in the unincorporated area of Santa Maria for a check-the-welfare call for service. During their handling of the call, deputies contacted the suspect, who was found to be in violation of his parole conditions with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

The suspect was arrested and transported to the Northern Branch Jail, where he was placed in a cell for observation. During the placement, the suspect became unresponsive, and custody deputies quickly began life-saving measures, including the administration of naloxone. When Wellpath medical arrived, additional rounds of naloxone were administered, and the suspect temporarily regained consciousness.

County Fire and American Medical Response (AMR) were summoned and responded to the jail facility.  The suspect was transported via ambulance to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced dead by hospital staff.

Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Coroner’s Office are investigating the in-custody death. Additional information will be released once family members have been notified of the death and upon the conclusion of the investigation.