Deputies investigating death of Montgomery County Jail inmate; 7th inmate death this year

DAYTON — An investigation has been launched by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office after an inmate in the county’s jail died Thursday, the seventh jail death of the year.

>>RELATED: Death of sixth inmate at Montgomery County Jail prompts internal review

Terry Clemmons, 47, died after an apparent medical emergency at the jail around 8 a.m. Thursday, a sheriff’s office spokesperson said in a media release. Clemmons had been booked in the jail Wednesday on felony weapons charges and had participated in routine medical screening during his booking, the spokesperson said.

A corrections officer making routine checks in the general population area noticed Clemmons suffering from an apparent medical issue, the spokesperson said. Jail medical staff and additional corrections staff were called to the area and medics from the Dayton Fire Department were dispatched.

Clemmons was pronounced dead inside the jail.

“We are still in the very early stages of the investigation, but Clemmons had exited his cell for breakfast earlier in the morning and there are no indications of foul play or drug use,” the spokesperson said in the media release.

>> RELATED: ‘It’s shocking to us;’ Montgomery County Jails seeing ‘troubling’ number of inmate deaths

Clemmons’ cause of death remains pending an investigation by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office and sheriff’s office detectives. The sheriff’s office has also launched an investigation involving the department’s Inspectional Services Unit.

His death represents the seventh inmate who has died just this year at the Montgomery County Jail. Of the previous jail deaths, three resulted from drug overdoses, one was from extensive poor health issues, while the others were undetermined.

In April, Major Matt Haines of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office called the number of deaths in the jail “very concerning.”

“It’s troubling,” he said. “We’ve never seen anything like this before.”

Over the last five years, the Montgomery County Jail had seen no more than five people that died at the jail or after being taken from the jail, a sheriff’s office spokesperson told News Center 7 in April.

This is a developing story and we’ll update this page as we learn more.

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