DRUGS, EXERTION LED TO TULSA DETAINEE'S DEATH

TULSA (AP) -- A man who died in police custody after leading officers on a
car and foot chase succumbed to a heartbeat irregularity caused by the
toxic effect of cocaine and physical exertion, a medical examiner's report
says.

Justin H. Smith, 24, of Tulsa was pronounced dead at 12:37 a.m. Aug. 15 at
Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, authorities said. He had been taken into
custody late Aug. 14, officials said.

A medical examiner's report released Monday said Smith died of sudden
cardiac dysrhythmia resulting from acute cocaine intoxication and physical
exertion before his arrest.

Smith's death was accidental and the sickle cell trait was a contributing
factor, the report said.

The chase began after two deputies in separate patrol cars noticed a car
driving with its bright lights on, officials said at the time of the
incident. The officers, suspecting a possible stolen car or a drunken
driver, followed the car and tried to pull it over.

But when the driver did not stop, a chase ensued, lasting eight minutes.

At one point, the car crashed through the gate of an apartment complex and
the driver stopped at a dead end. The officers got out of their vehicles,
but the car backed up, turned around and started driving toward them.

The officers, who had their weapons drawn, did not fire. A security guard
at the apartment complex did shoot once. He missed the driver.

The car later crashed into a house, with the driver fleeing on foot.

Officers caught the driver, handcuffed him and put him in a police cruiser.
But while they were taking him to jail, he laid over in the seat and quit
talking. The officers performed CPR until emergency medical personnel could
take over, but he died at the hospital.

The officers were not being investigated for any wrongdoing, officials said.