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Sheriff's department: Jail inmate stricken by unknown medical crisis, dies

A San Diego County Sheriff Deputy's badge. San Diego County, Calif. April 18, 2022.
Alexander Nguyen
/
KPBS
A San Diego County Sheriff Deputy's badge. San Diego County, Calif. April 18, 2022.

An inmate who was stricken by some sort of medical crisis this week in county jail in Vista died at a hospital Wednesday, authorities reported.

James Bousman, 23, was pronounced dead about 11 a.m., according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

Shortly before midnight Tuesday, deputies found Bousman unconscious in his single-occupant cell, sheriff's Lt. Chris Steffen said.

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Jail staffers tried in vain to revive Bousman until relieved by paramedics, who took over the lifesaving efforts and took him to a trauma center. There, his condition continued to decline until his death, Steffen said.

A cause-of-death ruling in the case is on hold pending results from postmortem examinations.

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Bousman had been in custody since early March, facing charges of assault, vandalism, resisting arrest and battery on a peace officer resulting in injury, according to sheriff's officials.

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