A Harrisburg man apparently swallowed illegal drugs to try to avoid arrest and then collapsed at the booking center earlier this month, police said.
Terelle Lamont Thomas, 31, died Dec. 17, three days after he collapsed at the Dauphin County booking center, where he was being jailed for possession with intent to deliver.
Harrisburg police stopped Thomas about 7 p.m. Dec. 14 near South 15th and Swatara streets for a traffic stop. An officer approached Thomas, who appeared to be chewing something or had something in his mouth, according to police. Officers removed Thomas from his car and he had apparent crack cocaine on his shirt and clothing, police said.
The officer asked Thomas if he had eaten any drugs or if he needed to go to a hospital and Thomas said no to both questions, according to police.
Because Thomas had drug paraphernalia in the car that indicated the sale of drugs instead of simple drug possession, he was charged with possession with intent to deliver, said Police Spokesman Kyle Gautsch.
County officials said Thomas had been at the booking center for nearly an hour when he had a “medical emergency.” He was taken by ambulance to a hospital.
An autopsy was conducted but the results are pending until the result of toxicology tests, according to County Spokeswoman Amy Richards.
Police said it appears he ingested drugs to avoid arrest but they were waiting for results of the autopsy.
Thomas was paroled from state prison on Aug. 18 on a 5-12 year prison sentence for persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms. He previously completed a sentence for escape from detention on May 28 2010 and had three prior drug convictions.
His obituary said he earned his general equivalency diploma through the Pennsylvania Department of Education in 2008, and was employed at the Syncreon warehouse in Carlisle, PA.
“Terelle played NBA2K and basketball. He was a loving and dedicated father and brother who enjoyed spending time with his family,” according to his obituary.
He is survived by his parents, siblings and one daughter.
Thomas made the compassionate decision prior to his death to be an organ donor, the obituary said. He donated his lungs, heart, kidney and other organs.
“Terelle has provided hope to many women, men and children who are in need of life saving or life enhancing transplants through the Gift of Life Donor Program,” the obituary said.
Dauphin County Coroner Graham Hetrick said organs from patients kept on a respirator due to drug overdose can be used for transplants. If someone dies from a drug overdose and they are not on a respirator, organ tissue only can be used for research or perhaps valve replacement, he said.
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