Police still investigating Martinez’ 2013 Coralville death

Coralville Police Chief Barry Bedford said an ongoing death investigation involving his officers remains a potential 'distraction” for his officers.

'I think that can be a distraction,” Bedford said Thursday. 'I think our guys do a good job of not letting that be a distraction.”

Thomas Martinez, 40, of Arizona, died July 23, 2013 in the Intensive Care Unit of the University of Iowa and Hospitals and Clinics, a day after an allegedly drug-fueled run-in with police.

On July 22, officers responded to a Coralville business after employees called 911 and reported Martinez was acting violently and destroying property. Martinez was 'totally out of control” and turning over tables inside the business, Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness reported at the time. He was sweating profusely, had dilated eyes and police had difficulty understanding the man. Martinez appear to suffer from 'mini seizures” during the incident, Lyness said.

Two officers arrived to back up the original officer who responded to the complaint. The Johnson County Ambulance Service was called to the scene and a fourth officer also arrived. Paramedics tried to speak with Martinez, but he became violent, flailed at the officers and paramedics and hit an officer.

Police used a Taster to subdue Martinez, but he continued to act violently. A second Taser activation calmed the man down, Lyness said.

Paramedics administered medication to Martinez, but as he was being loaded onto a stretcher for transport to the hospital, he stopped breathing. Lyness said the paramedics began CPR and administered another medication and Martinez resumed breathing.

Authorities later learned from Martinez's family and hospital staff that he might have consumed 'multiple” drugs prior to the incident.

Martinez's death has been under investigation since July.

Bedford said the department reviewed the incident internally and determined the four officers followed department policies. The officers remained on active duty throughout the investigation. Lyness's investigation into whether there was any wrongdoing has not been completed.

'However, of concern for each one of those officers and myself, because we're not running the investigation, we don't know what the final conclusion is going to be,” Bedford said. 'Until that is cleared and put to rest, there's always that little bit of a cloud out there.”

Lyness said Thursday she is working on finishing her investigation, but doesn't have a time table for completing it.

Bedford said he's not being critical of Lyness' work and understands there are legitimate reasons for the delay, such as waiting for an autopsy report and a report from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, which assisted in the investigation.

'Regardless of how it goes, people always feel better with facts,” Bedford said. 'Putting it to rest, one way or another, would probably be beneficial.”