A photo taken of a cell like the one Ryan Kereluk had been in prior to his death on May 18, 2018. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Death investigation

Coroner’s Inquest hears testimony from investigating officer

Dec 3, 2019 | 8:19 AM

A coroner’s inquest into the death of a Prince Albert man last year has revealed the official cause of death was methamphetamine toxicity, but there are still many more questions left to be answered including whether the death could have been prevented.

Ryan Kereluk, 34, was found unresponsive in his cell on May 18, 2018 and later died in hospital. Sgt. Adam Dunn, a 17-year-member of the Prince Albert Police Service, was assigned to investigate the case the day of Kereluk’s death and was subsequently the first witness to testify at the inquest this week at Court of Queen’s Bench in Prince Albert.

According to the evidence heard in court Monday, Kereluk, who had shown no sign of any medical issues at the time of his arrest on May 16, or at his court appearance the following day, had vomited a total of seven times over a seven hour period between 11:39 p.m. on May 17 and 6:35 a.m. on May 18. Less than an hour later Kereluk was found unresponsive in his cell.

“I didn’t hear him once ask for medical attention,” Dunn told Maureen Longworth, the Coroner’s Council.

According to the police timeline, Kereluk’s last conversation with the guard was at 6:35 a.m. on the 18th, when he asked what time breakfast was. The guard had replied “breakfast is at breakfast time.”

Final numbers

Local RM results finalized

15h ago

Commitment

Hildebrand commits to Bemidji State in NCAA DI, first NCAA commitment in Raiders history

18h ago

Inflation

Rent inflation to slow in the next few years, Desjardins predicts

19h ago

Ryan Kereluk. (Facebook/ Ryan Kereluk)

As part of the proceedings Monday, the camera footage from Kereluk’s cell was played for the jury. At this time, the Kereluk family excused themselves from the court room, knowing in advance the video would show Kereluk’s final moments.

After talking to the guard, Kereluk went back to his bed and lied down, covering himself with a thin sheet. Between 6:57 a.m. and 7 a.m. Kereluk was seen in the cell making several “restless” movements, and almost appears at one point to roll off the concrete bed. Kereluk makes no further movement from this point on.

At 7:13 a.m., the food door to Kereluk’s cell was opened and Kereluk’s breakfast was delivered. At 7:40 a.m. the supervisor in charge opens the door to Kereluk’s cell and when checking on Kereluk, finds him unresponsive. The supervising officer immediately calls for assistance and officers begin to administer first aid and CPR until paramedics arrive.

When questioned about the 40 minute gap from the time Kereluk is seen on the video making strange movements, to the time he was physically checked on, Dunn noted the guard had checked on Kereluk four times after breakfast was delivered and had later insisted he saw Kereluk moving.

Dunn also acknowledged the time gap was concerning but explained there was no evidence to show Kereluk required attention, adding while Kereluk’s sleeping position was bizarre, it was not unusual.

“People will sleep in all different ways when they are in there,” he said.

Further evidence heard in court was related to the amount of water Kereluk had consumed in his cell over a twelve hour period, from the time of his remand on May 17 at 5:52 p.m. to 6:35 a.m. on May 18. Dunn explained Kereluk had 41 glasses of water. Dunn was asked by Longworth why anyone would drink so much water.

“I don’t know, that’s peculiar to me,” he replied.

When further questioned later about the water consumption by Evan Strelioff, Council for the City, Dunn said he had asked the coroner if the amount of water in Kereluk’s system may have played a role in his death, but was told no.

Strelioff also asked Dunn if in anywhere in his report, there was anything to show Kereluk had consumed anything while in custody that was not provided by police, or prescribed to him by a doctor. Dunn replied no.

Five days have been set aside for the inquest this week. Among the remaining witnesses expected to testify are members of Parkland Ambulance who attended to the scene as well as the guard assigned to watch Kereluk the morning of his death.

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell