Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Man who fought PCSP officer then had medical emergency dies

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The Porter County Coroner’s Office is investigating the death of a South Haven man who struggled with a Porter County Sheriff’s Police officer in January, then suffered “a medical emergency,” in an incident which also left the officer injured.

Harold W. Gielow Jr., 55, died in Porter Regional Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit at 1:30 a.m. Jan. 16, eight days after he became involved in a physical altercation with a PCSP officer, Coroner Chuck Harris told the Chesterton Tribune today.

A forensic autopsy was conducted in Mishawaka on Jan. 20 but nothing conclusive was found, Harris said. “The investigation is ongoing and no cause or manner of death has been determined at this time.”

At Sheriff Dave Reynolds’ request, the Indiana State Police is investigating the incident, which began at 8:50 a.m. Jan. 8 in the area of Brook Drive and McCool Road in South Haven, in response to a report of a male subject’s “acting irrationally” and “allegedly throwing a Christmas tree and garbage into the roadway,” the ISP said.

On his arrival, the officer--who has not been identified--made contact with Gielow, just south of U.S. Highway 6, on McCool Road near Al’s Supermarket. Gielow “immediately began to fight with the deputy,” the ISP said.

A Good Samaritan who resides in the area assisted the officer until other units from the PCSP and the Portage Police Department arrived at the scene, the ISP said.

At some point “Gielow suffered a medical emergency,” the ISP said, the nature of which the ISP did not specify.

Gielow was transported to Porter Regional Hospital, where the next day he was reported to be in critical condition.

The officer, meanwhile--a five-and-a-half year veteran of the PCSP--suffered a fractured ankle and was transported to Porter Portage Hospital Campus, the ISP said. The 45-year-old Good Samaritan was also transported there, for treatment of a hand injury.

“This is an ongoing investigation with the full cooperation of the Porter County Sheriff’s Department and Portage Police,” the ISP said at the time.

 

 

Posted 2/13/2015

 
 

 

 

 

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