Jury recommends sobering centre after man dies in Prince George 'drunk tank'
Sobering centre would be alternative to cell T-1 where Jamie Shanoss died in 2016
On a cold November in 2016, Jamie Shanoss was arrested after midnight and taken to cell T-1, commonly referred to as the drunk tank.
He had been picked up for being drunk in a public place when a police officer found him intoxicated and sleeping on the sidewalk.
He died less than two hours later on the heated floor of cell T-1 between three other cell mates.
Police and emergency responders spent nearly an hour trying unsuccessfully to restart the unresponsive 51-year-old Gitxsan man's heart.
His family sat in the front rows of a Prince George courtroom this week as an inquest into his death methodically combed through the details of the hours before and after his death.
The seven person jury found the Kitwanga man's death accidental, caused by acute alcohol poisoning aggravated by cocaine use. It made three recommendations to prevent future similar deaths, including a recommendation the local health authority explore the creation of a Prince George sobering centre, — a recommendation that was heavily endorsed by Insp. Shaun Wright in testimony Thursday.
"In my opinion being lodged in a police lockup really isn't the appropriate place," he said. "Especially in a larger centre, where there should be adequate resources to provide some sort of intermediate medical care facility where they can be properly treated and supervised."
'Drunk tank' used constantly
Wright said the number of people booked into cell T-1 each year is in the high hundreds. He said several of those people stay more than 200 times a year . He said he believes at least three of them will likely die as a result.
Wright says the community would be better served by a centre that provides proper medical oversight, counselling and information on recovery to people who are too intoxicated to care for themselves in public and referenced the Quibble Creek Health and Phoenix Transition Housing Centre in Surrey as an example of a functioning sobering centre.
"The issues with alcohol and excessive alcohol consumption are well-known throughout society and, to me, certainly seems like an issue that requires some urgent attention," he said.
Dangerous level of alcohol found in Shanoss
A toxicology report said Shanoss died with a blood alcohol level of .38, enough to kill most people or put them in a coma, according to toxicologist Dr. Aaron Shapiro, who appeared in court by video.
Shapiro also said there were signs of cocaine in Shanoss' system, though Shapiro said it was not a large amount.
Paramedic Steven Skomedal said Shanoss' heart was already asystolic, meaning there was no activity from his heart when he arrived on scene.
He said he and his team continued for another 30 minutes with chest compressions, oxygen and medications.
Shanoss had not been seen on security video to be moving in the cell since 12:37 a.m. and was only discovered by police just after 2 a.m.
The jury also recommended mock training for guards in cell emergencies and a review or procedures and training for guards to ensure prisoners are properly checked, something head guard Cheryl Sisson told the jury didn't happen the night Shanoss died.
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