Inmate who died in Sonoma County Jail identified as Santa Rosa man

The man who died in the Sonoma County Jail on Saturday was identified Monday as a 42-year-old man who had been arrested that morning on suspicion of stabbing a man in southwest Santa Rosa.

Rickey Estrada, who lived in both Santa Rosa and Redwood Valley, had a medical emergency of some kind just before 5:20 p.m. Saturday and died after being taken to Sutter Hospital, sheriff’s spokesman Juan Valencia said Monday. The cause of death is still under investigation.

At around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Estrada had been arguing with a woman on Challenger Way near Capricorn Way. When a man attempted to intervene, Estrada allegedly stabbed him at least three times with a pointed object. Police later found Estrada barricaded in a trailer parked on Challenger Way. After negotiating with him, officers took him into custody.

At 1:49 p.m. Saturday, Estrada was booked into the jail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia and narcotics, resisting arrest and a violation of parole, Valencia said.

He had been in a holding cell in the booking area of the jail for several hours and had just been removed from the cell by correctional staff when the emergency occurred, Valencia said Saturday. People being booked into the jail may be placed in holding cells for a variety of reasons, such as when they require medical attention, mental health evaluation, require detoxification from drug or alcohol use or due to safety concerns, he said.

While Valencia didn’t know the nature of Estrada’s medical emergency, he said Monday officials had to perform CPR on him at the jail. The cause of his death will be determined by an autopsy sometime this week conducted by the Napa County Coroner’s Office.

You can reach Staff Writer Chantelle Lee at 707-521-5337 or chantelle.lee@pressdemocrat.com.