BALTIMORE — Eight police officers have been cleared of wrongdoing following a man's death last July.
Trea Ellinger, 29 of Glen Burnie, died after being restrained while experiencing what one medic described as "excited delirium."
A 911 caller reported Ellinger lying in the middle of S. Howard Street “trying to kill himself” and “fighting people.”
Camera footage showed Ellinger falling several times onto the light rail tracks nearby, and charging at someone who tried helping him.
Medics were first on scene, one of which Ellinger lunged at.
When police arrived they struggled to handcuff Ellinger so medics could sedate and treat him.
Inside the ambulance, while strapped to the stretcher, Ellinger continued struggling with medics and became unresponsive minutes later.
Police then removed the handcuffs for CPR to be applied, but Ellinger later died.
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Officers recovered several white pills spilled on the street where Ellinger had been laying.
An autopsy determined Ellinger died of mixed drug intoxication. Both Bupropion and Methadone were found in his system at the time of death.
The Maryland Attorney General's Office on Thursday released an investigative report into the incident.
This is what they concluded in part:
"Regarding the officers’ handcuffing and holding Mr. Ellinger, at the time officers did so, there was reason to believe Mr. Ellinger was a threat to himself and others. Mr. Ellinger had been flailing and rolling on the street for more than ten minutes, lunged at a civilian and a medic who tried to help him, and would not leave the street when encouraged by medics. There was significant traffic on the street, and Mr. Ellinger had repeatedly stumbled and fallen while medics and officers were present. Officers handcuffed Mr. Ellinger at the medics’ request and kept him on his side while medics retrieved the stretcher and administered a sedative."
The full report can be read here.
