An inmate at Western Regional Jail died in the booking area earlier this week, several hours after his arrival.
Though police booked Derek Kevin Bennett into the jail Tuesday evening, he remained in the booking area just before Wednesday afternoon, Lawrence Messina. spokesman for the state Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, wrote in an email.
Bennett, 33, died around 11 a.m., Messina said. State Police and the state Regional Jail Authority are investigating the cause of his death.
The Huntington Police Department had arrested Bennett on charges of domestic assault, fleeing from an officer, unlawful taking of a vehicle and burglary, according a criminal complaint.
His charges stemmed from an alleged incident on February 24. At about 11:40 p.m., Bennett broke into his ex-girlfriend's home and stole her car keys, the complaint states.
He first broke through a window on the back door and then unlocked the deadbolt, according to the complaint.
That's when he allegedly stole the keys to an SUV, drove away from the home and later evaded police as they tried to pull him over.
An officer, the complaint states, found the SUV abandoned. Neither Bennett nor the keys could be found.
Last week, an inmate at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail died hours after being charged with murder. Randy Shull, 63, was arrested on July 26 and found dead in his cell the following morning.