Cause of death still unknown

The coroner’s not sure why 44-year-old Curt Rosentangle died in custody early Saturday.

But a heart attack — following a violent struggle — has not been ruled out.

The Kitsap County Coroner’s Office sent toxicology and microscopic-tissue samples to a Seattle forensics lab to determine if the man had drugs and/or alcohol in his system, and whether he suffered a heart attack, said Coroner Greg Sandstrom.

The local autopsy was conducted Saturday, Feb. 21, by Dr. Emmanuel Lacsina, the county’s forensic pathologist, said Deputy Scott Wilson, Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office spokesman. Results from Seattle may take two to six weeks.

Curt Lee Rosentangle lived in the Ridgetop Apartment complex. On Friday around midnight, CenCom received complaints about an “intoxicated” man in the apartments in the 11000 block of Shipside Lane N.W. who was acting “irrational and aggressive.”

The first contact from the Sheriff’s department was a female deputy who arrived at 12:15 Saturday morning. She confronted the partially dressed Rosentangle, who’d been running up and down halls smashing porch lights and trying to force his way into apartments. He had blood on his face, and the deputy summoned an ambulance and back-up. It was nearly “freezing” out, according to law enforcement reports, but the man was only wearing blue jeans — no shirt or shoes.

Rosentangle refused to comply with the deputy’s verbal requests to calm down and began to behave aggressively towards her. She used her taser — twice — without any effect, and the two ended up in a physical struggle.

Another female deputy and a male sergeant arrived a few minutes later to find the two struggling on the floor in the stairwell. All three struggled with the man until he was secured, about 90 seconds later.

He continued to resist, then started having breathing problems. Rosentangle was released from hand cuffs. An ambulance arrived by which time he had stopped breathing. CPR was administered and Rosentangle was transported to Harrison Hospital in Bremerton. He arrived at the hospital at 12:55 a.m., and was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

“I am aware of the circumstances surrounding the incident, and of the initial, preliminary investigation so far,” Sheriff Steve Boyer said in a statement released on Sunday. “The deputies followed correct procedures.”

The taser used will also be examined and tested to see if it was working properly, said Wilson. All three deputies were back at work on Sunday.

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