Coroner rules on death of man in Las Vegas police custody

The Clark County coroner’s office ruled Friday that a man who died in police custody in July overdosed.

Rashad Straughter, 35, died July 11 at Valley Hospital Medical Center from toxic effects of meth, dehydration and heart disease, according to the coroner’s office.

Police initially responded at about 8 a.m. July 11 to a gas station at 905 Las Vegas Blvd. North, near Washington Avenue, after reports of a crash. A 911 caller said a driver involved was fighting with customers inside of the gas station, according to a statement from the Metropolitan Police Department at the time.

Straughter was arrested at the gas station and taken to the Las Vegas Detention Center for booking, but when officers arrived at the jail, they reported Straughter was unresponsive.

His half-sister, Shawnnita Straughter, told the Review-Journal that Straughter was diagnosed with a heart condition in March. When she spoke to him around 6:45 a.m. that day, he was complaining of chest pains.

Speaking from her home in Los Angeles, Shawnnita Straughter said in a phone interview that her half-brother had moved to Las Vegas about a month earlier, hoping to start a new life with his two youngest sons and their mother. He had seven children, she said.

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.