(Columbia City, IN)-Investigators from the Indiana State Police in Fort Wayne are investigating the death of a 51 year old male inmate of the Whitley County Jail after he was found unconscious and unresponsive in his cell early this morning.
Preliminary investigation by Detective Andrew Mills indicated that during a routine check at approximately 1:30 a.m., Confinement Officers found 51 year old Brian R. Gurchiek of rural Columbia City unconscious and unresponsive in his cell. They immediately entered and began performing life saving measures until Parkview Whitley EMS arrived minutes later. Gurchiek was pronounced dead at the scene after medics attempted for approximately 40 minutes to save his life.
The Whitley County Sheriff Department requested that a Detective and a Crime Scene Investigator from the Indiana State Police conduct the subsequent investigation. An autopsy has been scheduled for this morning to help determine the cause and manner of Gurchiek’s death. No further information will be released until the results of the autopsy have been released by the Whitley County Coroner.
