Roundup: Inmate found dead at county jail, citizens help deputy subdue suspect

Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:

Jail inmate found dead Sunday

A female inmate was found dead early Sunday at the Todd Road Jail outside Santa Paula, officials reported.

The 53-year-old woman was unresponsive when found around 2:20 a.m. in her cell, but it is unknown if she was alone or with another inmate in the cell, Capt. William Hutton of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said Sunday. The Sheriff's Office manages the jail.

Jail staff provided medical aid until paramedics arrived and administered advanced life-saving measures, he said.

Nothing suspicious in connection with her death has been reported so far, he said.

The sheriff's Major Crimes Unit, which investigates inmate deaths, has not yet determined the cause with autopsy results still pending.

The woman's name and city of residence as well as details about why she was incarcerated were not available Sunday.

2 citizens help subdue suspect after Taser ineffective

A 39-year-old Ventura County man was arrested and booked into jail Sunday after two citizens helped a county sheriff’s deputy bring him under control when a Taser device reportedly failed to disable him.

Ventura County Sheriff’s Capt. William Hutton said the incident started around 8:45 a.m. when the deputy stopped the man on suspicion of a trespassing violation on private property near Channel Islands Harbor in the Oxnard area. The man was uncooperative and began fighting with the deputy, who discharged the Taser device to apparently no effect, Hutton said. 

The two citizens then helped the officer subdue the suspect, who was handcuffed and transported to Ventura County Medical Center for evaluation and treatment of minor injuries, Hutton said.

Hutton said the man received medical attention for the effects of the Taser, which sends projectiles into the body, and a facial injury sustained during his struggle with the officer.

The officer also received minor injuries, Hutton said.

The suspect was being held in the main jail in Ventura Sunday afternoon on suspicion of felony charges of resisting an official authority and battery with injury on emergency personnel, plus two misdemeanor drug violations.

Bail for the charges was set at $130,000. He is not eligible for release even if he raised the bail because is he is also being held on a parole violation, jail records show.