Officers Cleared In Case Where Man Died While Being Arrested

The Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigations has cleared two Casper Police officers, of any wrong doing, when a man died while being arrested.

Captain Mark Trimble says that in middle April, 47-year old Richard Smith Junior, died while being arrested on Yucca Circle.

When officers noticed that Smith had stopped breathing, they immediately took him out of the handcuffs and tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate him.

Captain Trimble says according to the Natrona County Coroner's report, Smith had an enlarged heart.

"He was being arrested for family violence assault, he resisted the officers...during that process, he had a cardiac event, which was brought on or exacerbated by his condition that he had."

Captain Trimble says he has not seen a toxicology report, but was informed by officers, that Smith had been drinking prior to the altercation.