Casper Man Who Died In Jail Despite Medical Clearance Had OD’d On Meth, Report Says

A Casper man who died in jail unexpectedly on the same day as his arrest last month succumbed to a methamphetamine overdose, according to the Natrona County Coroner’s Office. 

Wayne Sanchez, 62, died at about 10 a.m. March 8 after police arrested him for a drug violation, and soon after Banner Wyoming Medical Center cleared him to enter the Natrona County Detention Center.  

Citing patient privacy standards, Banner declined Tuesday to comment on the incident, but said it is cooperating with the investigation.  

Sanchez’s blood contained 170 nanograms of amphetamines per milliliter and 19,000 nanograms of methamphetamines per milliliter, according to a death docket the coroner released Tuesday to Cowboy State Daily.  

His manner of death was accidental and cause of death was illicit methamphetamine overdose, the docket says.  

Minor Crash 

Casper Police Department officers arrested Sanchez on March 8 after they found evidence of a drug violation at the scene of a minor vehicle crash in which Sanchez was a passenger.  

The initial investigation into the incident showed that the arrest was benign, Sanchez was cooperative, and the arrest required no use of police force, according to a statement the police department dispatched that day.  

Police took Sanchez to Banner Wyoming Medical Center for a medical evaluation, where the staff evaluated him and approved him for entry into the jail.  

Sanchez “fell unconscious and appeared to be suffering a medical event once he got to the jail,” says the original police statement.

Personnel tried to save his life, but Sanchez was pronounced dead on scene.