Man Dies in the Custody of the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office After Being Arrested by the Texarkana, Texas Police Department

The Bowie County Sheriff’s Office filed with the Attorney General of Texas a custodial death report regarding the death of Juan Jose Cordova-Sanchez.  Mr. Cordova-Sanchez was 26 years old at the time of his death which, according to the report, occurred on November 18, 2017.  Information in this post was obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone.  Instead, we are simply providing information.

The Texarkana, Texas Police Department allegedly attempted to stop a Chevrolet Tahoe being operated by Mr. Cordova-Sanchez.  Mr. Cordova-Sanchez allegedly led law enforcement officers on a low-speed pursuit that ended in front of the Bi-State Justice Center.  Texarkana Police Department officers arrested Mr. Cordova-Sanchez for suspicion of DWI.  They ultimately escorted Mr. Cordova-Sanchez into the jail, and Mr. Cordova-Sanchez allegedly resisted being arrested and/or being transported on one or more occasions.  He was sprayed twice with pepper spray.  Mr. Cordova-Sanchez told one or more police officers that someone had put something into his margarita and/or he was made to take drugs.   Mr. Cordova-Sanchez became unresponsive when four jail personnel were involved in restraining him, and Mr. Cordova-Sanchez was ultimately transported to Wadley Regional Medical Center (where he passed away).

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.