AZUSA, Calif.—An attorney for the family of a 37-year-old man who died inside a patrol vehicle parked outside the Azusa Police Department—after he was released from custody—said on May 31 that the family is “shocked and saddened” after the county medical examiner reported that the death resulted from hyperthermia.
Eric Valencia, a father of two, was found dead in the backseat of the police SUV around 4:50 a.m. March 26 in the 700 block of North Alameda Avenue, police said.
According to Azusa police, Valencia had been arrested March 20 on suspicion of DUI and child endangerment, but he was released from custody on March 23 pending additional investigation. The department released body-camera and surveillance footage showing Valencia being arrested and processed at the police station….