SAN LEON, Texas – The Galveston County Sheriff's Office is investigating after a man died in the hospital Saturday, the day after an incident in San Leon in which deputies encountered him agitated, bleeding and in possession of a knife.
Deputies were dispatched to the 2900 block of Avenue H at 11:55 a.m. Friday in reference to a disturbance in which the man was inside the residence screaming and in possession of a knife. Deputies said the caller was the girlfriend of the man, identified by the Sheriff's Office as Jeronimo Zamora Jr., 46.
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Deputies found Zamora, who was bleeding from a cut on his wrist and was sweating profusely, outside the home, the Sheriff's Office said.
Zamora's demeanor transformed from compliant to agitated without warning as deputies conducted their investigation, the Sheriff's Office said. Deputies repeatedly gave Zamora commands to sit down so emergency medical services personnel could treat his wound.
The Sheriff's Office said Zamora attempted to go inside his residence but was not allowed to do so. He began to try to push his way through several deputies to reach his porch.
Deputies tried to contain Zamora when he started to resist and tried to punch the deputies, the Sheriff's Office said. Deputies discharged pepper spray and were able to gain control of him by taking him to the ground and placing him in handcuffs.
The Sheriff's Office said EMS personnel arrived to evaluate Zamora as he appeared to have lost consciousness. EMS personnel requested that the handcuffs be removed so a thorough examination could be done.
Zamora awoke once the handcuffs were removed and started to fight with the deputies again, even reaching for one deputy's gun, the Sheriff's Office said.
After a few moments of struggling with Zamora, EMS workers administered an injection to sedate him for transport, the Sheriff's Office said. Once he was secured for transport in the ambulance, Zamora stop breathing.
The Sheriff's Office said CPR was administered by EMS personnel while being transported to the hospital.
The Sheriff's Office was contacted by the hospital at 8:20 a.m. Saturday advising that Zamora had died, deputies said.
The Sheriff's Office said this is an open and ongoing investigation.