Dead man found inside police car may have been there for days

Authorities in Azusa are investigating after a man’s body was discovered inside a police vehicle that had been parked outside the city’s police station.

According to Azusa Police Chief Rocky Wenrick, the body was found Thursday afternoon in the rear seat of a patrol car that was no longer in service. The vehicle had been parked in front of the Azusa Police Department building in downtown Azusa.

Police said department staff did not realize the man had entered the car, and he was not being held by the department at the time he got inside the vehicle.

The man had previously been arrested on March 20 on suspicion of driving under the influence and child endangerment. Authorities said he was released from custody the following Monday, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

Investigators have not yet determined how the man got into the patrol car or how long he had been inside before the discovery was made.

Capt. Robert Landeros said officers had no indication the man had gotten into a police vehicle. However, surveillance footage later showed him entering the back seat of the unlocked patrol car.

Chief Wenrick said the vehicle had been taken out of service and was waiting for maintenance work. Police departments commonly rotate patrol vehicles in and out of service while equipment is installed or repairs are completed. Wenrick acknowledged that the car had been left unlocked and said it should have been secured.

The department has launched a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner will determine the official cause of death, which had not yet been established as of Friday.

In addition, the Azusa Police Department has hired an outside investigative firm to conduct an independent review of the incident. The review will examine the full sequence of events, including why the vehicle was left unlocked.