MAN DIES AFTER SWALLOWING DRUG

A man died Friday afternoon after swallowing a half-ounce of
methamphetamine during a Thursday arrest, the Polk County Sheriff's
Office reported.

Deputies served an arrest warrant on 46-year-old Charles Larry
Whitley about 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Sam Auto Parts at 3455 County
Road 542 in Lakeland, a Sheriff's Office press release stated.

Whitley was wanted for sale of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a
church, possession of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a church
and possession of drug paraphernalia, the release stated.

About an hour and a half after deputies arrested Whitley, he
complained that he was feeling sick and was sweating and acting
unusual, the release stated.

Whitley told the deputies and EMS workers that he had swallowed about
a half-ounce of methamphetamine.

Deputies called an ambulance, and Whitley was taken to Lakeland
Regional Medical Center, where he was "initially listed in stable
condition," the release stated.

He later died at the hospital shortly before 1:15 p.m.

Whitley's death is being investigated by the Polk Medical Examiner's
Office, the State Attorney's Office, and the Sheriff's Criminal
Investigations and Administrative Investigations Section, the release stated.

"Even when facing arrest, it is critical that meth users never
attempt to ingest evidence. The result can be deadly," Sheriff's
Chief of Staff Gary Hester said in a statement.