Sask. man died from being held face down during arrest, inquest hears

WATCH: An inquest into the death of a man in Saskatoon police custody heard testimony about his final hours on Monday.

Saskatchewan’s chief forensic pathologist testified in an inquest that a Saskatoon man died because he couldn’t breathe properly during his arrest.

Ashwin Poggenpoel died on June 18, 2022. An inquest in Saskatoon this week is looking into the circumstances surrounding his death.

On Tuesday, the inquest heard 911 calls from several residents of a City Park apartment building, reporting a man in the hallway screaming that someone was trying to kill him.

Police body camera footage shows an officer arrive on scene to find Poggenpoel lying on the ground outside with blood around his mouth. Shortly after, he ran, but officers found him in a stranger’s house a few blocks away.

The inquest heard police took Poggenpoel into custody because they considered him a danger to himself and others.

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The video shows officers holding Poggenpoel face down during the arrest. He’s struggling to get away and repeatedly yells “help me.”

While restraining Poggenpoel, an officer can be heard making a comment to a passerby.

“Want to try it,” the officer said. “It’s fun.”

Police are seen putting a spit sock over his head — a mesh hood used to prevent blood and saliva from getting on first responders and medical personnel.

In the video, eventually Poggenpoel stop moving.

Saskatchewan’s Chief Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Shaun Ladham, testified he used the body camera footage as background information when writing his autopsy report.

Ladham said the video shows officers using their body weight to restrain him. One officer can be seen lying across Poggenpoel’s lower body. Ladham said he couldn’t say how much body weight was put on Poggenpoel, but said “there was significant force.”

Ladham determined Poggenpoel died from positional asphyxiation — where a person’s body position prevents them from breathing.

Ladham noted there was meth and cocaine in Poggenpoel’s blood, which may affect his heart, and existing heart disease that were contributing factors in his death.

The lawyer representing Poggenpoel’s parents asked Ladham if the spit sock prevented Poggenpoel from breathing. Ladham said he couldn’t say for sure, but guessed the blood in Poggenpoel’s mouth paired with the spit sock may have played a role.

The inquest also heard testimony from paramedics who said Poggenpoel didn’t have a pulse and wasn’t breathing when they arrived on scene. He was taken to hospital where an emergency room doctor officially pronounced him dead.

At the end of an inquest, a jury can make recommendations to help prevent similar deaths in the future. Ladham recommended to flip a person on their side as soon as they’re handcuffed so they can breathe easier.