Widow wants answers following death of husband in CHP custody

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The wife of the 39-year-old man who died in California Highway Patrol custody is wanting answers after her husband died following a CHP incident on Highway 58.

Jason Gonzalez struggled with officers after he was found walking on Highway 58 on August 30th.

Shortly after Gonzalez was handcuffed, he lost consciousness and was taken to the hospital, where he was in critical condition and died a few days later.

Now his wife, who asked to conceal her identity, wants to understand why or how first responders handled the situation, even after her husband stopped breathing.

She obtained video from an Eyewitness showing Gonzalez’s arrest.

“My husband was in a mental crisis, the way that he is being portrayed is not correct,” Gonzalez's widow said. “[Police] told me that they received a phone call, that my husband was walking on the freeway, that they tried to detain him, and that they had to use non-lethal force and that did not seem like that was the character of my husband to try to attack or be combative.”

The video obtained by Eyewitness News shows Gonzalez walking next to an officer, then you see both on the ground and then you two officers cuff Gonzalez.

According to police, Gonzalez was arrested because he was being combative with officers.

“I really think that things were handled poorly,” Gonzalez's widow said.

Shortly after the arrest, Gonzalez stopped breathing.

Police said they called for medical aid, but Gonzalez’s wife thinks they should have done more.

“I don’t understand why law enforcement can be certified in CPR, but not render it,” she said. “My husband was dead for 5 minutes in CHP custody before we was given aid.”

BPD is investigating the CHP use of force while arresting Gonzalez. They said the officers involved in the incident are still being questioned and continue working during the investigation.

Police expect the coroner to release Gonzalez’s cause of death Monday.

Gonzalez leaves behind a wife and seven children. His family has started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the funeral expenses.