A man arrested early Sunday by Santa Rosa police died while in their custody, the police said.
The man suffered a medical emergency," said Santa Rosa Police Lt. Clay Van Artsdalen in a statement.
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office identified the man as Wayne Hoffman, 48, of Santa Rosa. The Sheriff's Office has been assigned to investigate the case under a countywide protocol in which fatal cases involving officers are handed over to a different agency for review.
The incident started at 1:03 a.m. near Sucher Lane and Nordyke Avenue when a Santa Rosa officer tried to stop a bicyclist for a traffic violation, said Van Artsdalen.
The suspect wouldn't stop and there was a short pursuit during which other officers responded as well, Van Artsdalen said.
When the officers caught up to the man on Nordyke Avenue, which is off Steele Lane near Highway 101, he resisted and they struggled with him before taking him into cusody, Van Artsdalen said.
The suspect then suffered a medical emergency, the details of which were not available Sunday. Officers called for emergency crews and also started lifesaving measures including CPR, Van Artsdalen said.
Emergency responders took the man to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Van Artsdalen said.
An autopsy was scheduled today,said Sheriff's Lt. Carlos Basurto.
--Jeremy Hay
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