Man dies after being Tasered

Two deputies injured during the altercation

A man died after being Tasered during an altercation with Del Norte County sheriff’s deputies Tuesday morning.

Two deputies were injured.

Daniel Sylvester, 35, was pronounced dead in the Emergency Room of Sutter Coast Hospital, according to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office.

He was unarmed when he attacked deputies, said sheriff’s Commander Bill Steven.

Authorities are piecing together what happened after a woman called 911 to say her son was out of control at a home on the 400 block of Cummins Road about 6:31 a.m., the statement said.

The woman said Sylvester threatened her and another female in the residence and they left, Steven said. The mother met two deputies at the entrance of the roadway at around 6:40 a.m., he said.

The names of the mother and the other female were not released.

When the two deputies, whose names are also being withheld, made contact with Sylvester he became violent, Steven said.

“He basically attacked the deputies,” said Steven.

Sylvester was then Tasered “by at least” one deputy, Steven said.

“The only  information I got is an officer or officers had to use a Taser on him,” said Steven.

Sylvester eventually stopped resisting long enough for deputies to restrain him, Steven said.

It’s unclear how long or how many times he was Tasered, Steven said.

He estimated the standard Taser deployment is for five seconds and said deputies can Taser someone more than once if there is non-compliance.

“Whether that happened I don’t know,” said Steven.

The Sheriff’s Office is still gathering officers’ reports and information to put together all of  the details, Steven said.

A Sheriff’s Office press release stated Sylvester began having trouble breathing after being handcuffed.

An ambulance was called around 7:13 a.m. and arrived around 7:20 a.m., Steven said. By then, at least five county and city officers were on the scene, he said.

He didn’t know if Sylvester was still breathing when paramedics got there.

Sylvester was given CPR at the residence and in the Emergency Room, according to the press release.

The deputies were treated at the hospital and released, Steven said. He had no details about the injuries, except that they suffered no broken bones.

An autopsy on Sylvester should be completed within the next couple of days, Steven said. Results of toxicology tests will take much longer.

The case is being investigated by the California State Department of Justice and the Del Norte County District Attorney’s Office.

When she made the 911 call, Sylvester’s mother said he had a history of psychological problems, Steven said.

Sylvester apparently did not have any recent criminal history, Steven said.