A 68-year-old man in Sheriff’s Office custody died at a hospital Friday after he went into medical distress in his jail cell, officials said. Investigators said the man was discovered by San Diego Central Jail staff during their routine hourly rounds around 1:10 a.m., sheriff’s homicide Lt. Michael Krugh said in a news release. Deputies called medical staff, who determined he needed to be taken to a hospital. Before he could be transported, the man became unresponsive and CPR was started, Krugh said. Krugh said the inmate was taken to a hospital by ambulance, where he died about three hours later. His name was not released pending notification of his family. The man had been in custody since July on drug-related charges, investigators said. He had been put in the medical observation unit due to chronic medical conditions and had refused treatment at times, Krugh said. Related Articles Crime and Public Safety | Third suspect arrested in Lemon Grove slaying Crime and Public Safety | Wrong-way DUI driver sentenced in fatal Del Cerro crash Crime and Public Safety | No heat, no water, no school: In rural San Diego County, power shutoffs pose their own public safety risks Crime and Public Safety | With more Santa Anas on way, San Diego fire agencies take aggressive stance Crime and Public Safety | Arrest made after fatal shooting near Little Italy The Sheriff’s Office said the jail death is now being investigated by its homicide division. It also is being reviewed by the Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board, the county’s civilian oversight body. Last year, nine people died in custody in local jails, down from a high of 19 deaths three years ago. In 2023, 13 people died in custody. State data show that between 2019 and 2023, San Diego County recorded an average of 3.6 deaths annually per 1,000 incarcerated people — the highest rate among California’s eight most populous counties.