Coroner's inquest hears how prisoner died from drug toxicity while in custody

A coroner's inquest into the death of a Fredericton-area man two years ago heard today about the tense moments as sheriffs and paramedics tried to revive a prisoner who had gone into cardiac arrest while en route to the Saint John jail. 

It was ultimately determined he died from "drug toxicity" from a combination of methamphetamine and cocaine.

Regional coroner Sarah Barnett testified that a comprehensive Type 2 autopsy was performed on 59 year old Lonnie Carr, and that even though he had poor health - including cancer and heart problems - "that level of drugs was his cause of death."

Carr was arrested on April 3, 2023 following a call about a domestic assault in Tracy, near Fredericton. He was held overnight at the RCMP detachment in Oromocto, where police confiscated methamphetamine pills from his jacket during a body search. 

RCMP Staff Sergeant Dan Sharpe was one of the arresting officers. He testified that during a police interview the following morning, he monitored Carr closely as he took his cancer and heart medication, as it was prescribed on the bottles, and said that nothing in his demeanour changed during this time.

Sharpe and another arresting officer, RCMP Constable Patrick Jolin-Rodrigue, both testified that Carr was extremely cooperative and polite, and at no time in police custody did he appear to be under the influence of any drugs.

"The whole process was completely uneventful," Jolin-Rodrigue said. 

Carr was given a remand hearing by phone that morning, and then sheriffs arrived to transport him to the Saint John Correctional Centre. Sheriffs were briefed on Carr's health conditions and drug possession, and Carr was searched once again before leaving. 

But in the rural area between Fredericton and Saint John, Carr began shaking uncontrollably in the backseat, and went into cardiac arrest. Despite efforts from sheriffs, paramedics and physicians, Carr died five days later in hospital on April 9.

Primary care paramedic Norma Hicks said she and her partner responded "lights and sirens" to the scene in Petersville Hill. It took 23 minutes to get there. 

She said the patient "didn't respond to voice, or pain stimulation" and was "awake but not alert." Sheriffs had already administered Narcan, in case he had ingested drugs, and had been keeping him conscious and monitoring his condition while they waited. 

Hicks said together with the sheriffs, they moved Carr into the ambulance where they performed a cardiogram which showed he was having a heart attack. 

"Then he went into cardiac arrest, meaning his heart stopped and he stopped breathing," she said. "That's when we started CPR."

She said she did everything in her scope of practice, including putting in an advanced airway "because he was no longer breathing," giving him more Narcan, and an IV with epinephrine to stimulate the heart to work harder and stronger, "trying to rule things out."