Share and Follow
First Coast News crime and safety expert weighs in on the death of Charles Samuel Urbach, the 38-year-old who died in police custody Sunday.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — First Coast News is learning new details in the death of a 38-year-old man who died less than 90 minutes after being taken into custody on Sunday.
The 38-year-old suspect was identified as Charles Samuel Urbach.
According to JSO, neighbors called the police on Urbach after he was seen walking through backyards and attempting to break into a home.
Jacksonville sheriff’s officers were called to the 2200 block of Cortez Road around 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon to investigate reports of a suspicious person.
According to police reports obtained by First Coast News, one homeowner told officers that she and her family arrived home to find the suspect walking in and around their home.
Another homeowner at a different residence told officers the suspect appeared to be intoxicated and was climbing over their fence, and attempted to turn their door handle.
When police arrived on scene, they found the suspect, 38-year-old Charles Samuel Urbach, hiding in a pond.
While being taken into custody, Urbach struck an officer resulting in officers using “minimal force” to control him.
Our First Coast News crime and safety expert, Ken Jefferson, explained what that could look like.
“I would think they grabbed him and escorted him to the car. It doesn’t say that, it just says they used the necessary amount of force,” said Jefferson.
According to police, Urbach was then secured in the back of a patrol car, where he became unresponsive.
Officers requested assistance from the Jacksonville Fire & Rescue Department, after multiple failed sternum rubs.
Two doses of Narcan were then administered to Urbach. He was taken to memorial hospital, where he later died.
“Give it time, let the medical examiner perform the autopsy so we can know the cause of death, let the sheriff’s office release the body cam in due time,” said Jefferson, “I understand when you see the headline ‘in custody death’ people always rush to judgement.”
First Coast News reached out to JSO inquiring on an update to the case. They tell us they aren’t able to comment on open and active investigations.
A cause of death has still not been identified by the medical examiner’s office.