By Brooklynn Wong
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office recently published a letter revealing the findings of an investigation into the death of 35-year-old Christopher Eisinger in March 2018.
Eisinger was believed to be the suspect in an auto burglary on March 2, 2018. At 12:01 a.m., Anaheim officers responded to an auto burglary report. When they arrived on-scene, they spotted a man who matched the suspect’s description. The man was Eisinger. He immediately fled from officers, and after a short foot pursuit he fell on a porch.
One of the officers placed a knee on Eisinger’s sternum and ordered him to stay down.
Two other officers caught up to them and reported that they saw Eisinger “violently” resisting handcuff attempts. He also attempted to grab for an officer’s Taser.
According to the letter, “Eisinger continued to resist the officers, growled, screamed, grunted and rambled continuously.”
He appeared to be under the influence of a drug.
After five minutes of resisting, Eisinger stopped and appeared unconscious. He had a faint pulse.
Paramedics were called, and measures such as chest compressions, insertion of an oropharyngeal airway and AED shocks were taken.
His pulse returned, and he was initially transported to West Anaheim Medical Center before being taken to another facility.
About a week later, Eisinger was pronounced deceased.
An autopsy revealed that Eisinger had significant brain swelling, a small hematoma near his right eye, a small bleed at the base of the skull, a slightly enlarged heart and 70-75% coronary occlusion.
The cause of death was determined to be “a sudden cardiac arrest due to occlusive coronary atherosclerosis and effects of methamphetamine.”
Eisinger had a lengthy criminal record, including spousal battery, possession of a controlled substance in prison, battery, attempting to remove the firearm of a police officer, assault on a police officer and battery on a police officer.
Legal analysis found that no weapons and no punches or kicks were used on Eisinger, and that the officers had not failed to perform any legal duty.
All told, “the evidence shows Eisinger died as a result of his decision to exert himself while suffering from hypertrophy and dilation of the heart, recent and chronic substance abuse, and a myriad of associated health problems. Accordingly, the OCDA is closing its inquiry into this incident.”
Eisinger’s parents sued Anaheim PD for negligence and wrongful death.
