Man Dies During Chelan County Arrest

The Chelan County sheriff's office is investigating the case of an agitated Central Washington man who died in custody after driving off in a patrol car, briefly dragging a Douglas County deputy, then struggling as he was arrested.

Chelan County Undersheriff John Wisemore tells The Wenatchee World that the deputy zapped 40-year-old Jason Nalls with a stun gun after the car hit an embankment. The undersheriff says investigators haven't determined whether the stun gun made enough contact to affect the Waterville man.

Two deputies eventually wrestled Nalls into handcuffs. Wisemore says the man stopped breathing a short time later. He died early Tuesday.

Wisemore says deputies called to Nalls' home late Monday night report he locked himself in a bathroom, then asked to be taken to a hospital for mental health reasons, then ran off; all before jumping into the patrol car when the deputy got out to talk to him.

An autopsy is planned.