Police cellblock. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Death investigation

Officers who supervised inmate before his death testify in inquest

Dec 4, 2019 | 4:52 PM

Two men who had contact with Ryan Kereluk on the morning of his death were on the witness stand Wednesday morning at a coroner’s inquest held at Prince Albert Court of Queen’s Bench.

The 34-year-old was found unresponsive in his cell at the Prince Albert Police Service on May 18, 2018 and later died in hospital. Kereluk was arrested May 16, after officers executed a search warrant at a Sixth Avenue West home.

Sgt. Brandon Mudry, an 18-year member of the Police Service, was the sergeant in charge of cells on the morning of May 18, and facilitated a transfer between cells at 4 a.m. when Kereluk’s cell flooded.

Mudry testified Kereluk, while frustrated with his current situation, appeared sober and was able to move on his own accord. Mudry said Kereluk stepped over the water when exiting the cell.

“It was simply a cell move, no issues,” Mudry said.

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Later after moving Kereluk into a new cell, Mudry said he learned there was bile in the toilet, which may have caused it to flood.

According to evidence heard earlier this week, Kereluk vomited a total of seven times between the hours of 11:30 p.m. on May 17 and 6:40 a.m. the following morning. Mudry was asked by Coroner’s Council Maureen Longworth if he received any concerns or requests for medical attention from either the guard on duty or Kereluk himself. Mudry answered he had not.

“Had I known he was in medical distress, I would have given him the help he needed,” Mudry said.

At 6:47 a.m. on May 18, Kereluk was observed on camera making jerking movements, and nearly half his body slid halfway off the concrete slab he was sleeping on. By 7 a.m. Kereluk stopped moving. Nearly an hour later at 7:54, an officer found him unresponsive.

Mudry testified he did not see signs of abnormal or concerning behaviour from Kereluk prior to 6 a.m. He said Kereluk’s sleeping position at 7 a.m. seemed unusual.

“That to me would not be indicative of something good,” he said.

At the time of Kereluk’s death, the police service had only one sergeant in charge of both cellblock and street patrols.

In January of this year, Police Chief Jon Bergen changed the policy to have two sergeants on duty to split the responsibilities and offer greater oversight.

Ryan Kereluk. (Facebook)

The second witness to testify Wednesday was the guard on duty when Kereluk was vomiting. Ray Willis, who has 17 years of service as a guard, said he requested Kereluk’s cell transfer.

“He was getting to be a bit of a nuisance,” he said, adding Kereluk kept requesting to change cells. Willis said the request came from Kereluk each time he walked down the cellblock, which was every 30 minutes. He started his shift at 10 p.m. that evening.

Mudry testified Kereluk did not appear intoxicated, but Willis stated he thought the contrary when he first dealt with the prisoner based on his demeanor. Willis said he has no physical drug assessment training. When asked by Longworth to comment further on Kereluk’s vomiting, Willis said he did not think it was unusual.

“A lot of guys vomit in the cell area. It’s a common thing,” he said.

After Kereluk was moved to a new cell, Willis said Kereluk no longer bothered him and apologized for his previous behaviour. Although Kereluk’s moment of medical distress later in the morning did not happen on Willis’s watch, Willis was asked in court if he thought the behaviour seemed odd.

“If he was jerking his head that would be a reason to be concerned,” he said.

Kereluk’s mother Tina Vermette was also given the opportunity to question Willis, and one of her questions centered on how Willis performed his checks.

Willis explained after observing a lack of movement on the cell camera feed, he would go to a prisoner’s cell door and watch for signs of breathing. Upon seeing no signs, he relayed he would then call the sergeant in charge with the phone provided or push the alarm button.

Coroner Tim Hawryluk, who is presiding over the hearing this week, also had questions for Willis. Hawryluk questioned why Willis performed checks every 30 minutes. According to a police policy, checks are to be done every 10 minutes.

Willis admitted it’s been a long time since he reviewed the policy manual and said it should be reviewed and updated. He also said guards should receive drug assessment training, based on the number of intoxicated persons placed into cells.

Hawryluk made it clear on several occasions during Wednesday’s proceedings the purpose of the inquest is not to lay blame but rather make recommendations to avoid similar incidents from happening in the future.

The inquest is scheduled to wrap up on Friday. Members of the Kereluk family have been in court all week observing the proceedings.

Editor’s note: this story was amended to make clear the police officer learned ‘bile’ was in the toilet not a ‘vile’ as earlier reported.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell