Meth toxicity ruled cause of death

Police still looking into incident involving alleged shoplifter

COEUR d'ALENE — A Sandpoint man who struggled with a loss-prevention officer outside a Coeur d'Alene grocery store in June died because of complications from methamphetamine toxicity, a coroner's report said.

Kootenai County Coroner Warren Keene on Tuesday released a report classifying Andrew M. Dearmin's death an accident.

Dearmin, who was allegedly shoplifting on June 17, fled from the Super 1 Foods store at Kathleen Avenue and U.S. 95. A store employee pursued him.

Dearmin was caught and held by the employee near Sunset Motors, which is across Kathleen Avenue from the store.

He wasn't breathing when police arrived on scene. Officers performed CPR and Dearmin was taken to Kootenai Health, where he died a short time later.

According to the coroner's Aug. 10 report, Dearmin suffered "cardiac arrest during prone restraint due to methamphetamine toxicity."

The Coeur d'Alene Police Department investigated the incident, though Sgt. Christie Wood said police aren't finished yet.

Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh said he will review the case once the investigation is complete.

Wood said the investigator handling the case "recently received the autopsy report and he wants to spend some time reviewing it and possibly have further discussions with the coroner."