Man dies during arrest proceedings in Frankfort

FRANKFORT, Ind. — A man died during a series of arrest proceedings in Frankfort on Saturday.

According to a Facebook post from the Frankfort Police Department, the man died at IU Frankfort Hospital around 8:46 a.m. Police had taken him to the hospital around 6:47 a.m.

FPD first encountered the man in the 4500 block of West Jackson Street. Officers were called to the area because a suspect had been banging on doors throughout the neighborhood.

When police arrived at the scene, they saw the man trying to put an item that did not belong to him in a car. Per FPD, the item the man placed in the car was tested and presumed to be methamphetamine.

Upon speaking with one area resident, police learned the man allegedly tried to enter at least one house in the neighborhood. The owner of that residence ultimately confronted the man.

Police reported that the homeowner was armed, and the man’s attempt to enter the residence stopped after the confrontation.

The man was arrested at 6:22 a.m. and preliminarily charged with residential entry, possession of methamphetamine, public intoxication and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle. FPD reported that the man was also wanted for theft in Montgomery County.

The man was transported to the Clinton County Jail after he was arrested. Jail officials then requested he be transported to IU Health Frankfort for a medical checkout.

FPD indicated that Clinton County Coroner Ed Cripe is investigating the man’s death. Police’s investigation of the man’s alleged criminal activity is still ongoing.

FPD is encouraging those with information on the man’s pre-arrest activity to contact detective Joshua Danner by calling (765) 654-4245 and dialing extension 9281.

“Regardless of the criminal allegations, a member of our community has died,” FPD Chief Scott Shoemaker wrote in a prepared statement. “My thoughts are with (the man’s) family, the medical staff at IU Frankfort and our officers who thought they were conducting a routine arrest this morning. This is not the outcome anyone wanted today.”