Jasper man dies less than 10 minutes after being returned from Angelina County Jail

Exterior of the Angelina County Jail in Lufkin, Texas.

ANGELINA COUNTY, Texas — A Jasper man died after a rapid medical emergency shortly after being returned from the hospital to the Angelina County Jail, according to information confirmed by the sheriff’s office.

Tony Jerome Irvine, 54, of Jasper, was incarcerated and waiting to be transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to begin serving a one-year sentence for felony theft.

Sheriff’s officials reported that Irvine asked for medical care on Monday while in jail. Medical personnel there evaluated him and arranged for him to be transported to a nearby hospital. Irvine remained hospitalized for several days while sedated and on assisted breathing.

Hospital staff later removed the breathing tube after he regained consciousness. According to the sheriff’s office, Irvine became upset with the care he was receiving and demanded to be released and taken back to the jail, despite medical personnel advising him to stay for continued treatment.

Deputies were called to the hospital, and arrangements were made for him to be transported back to the facility.

Records show that Irvine arrived at the jail at 8:27 p.m. He was brought inside in a wheelchair, and jailers remained with him as he was moved through the booking area.

Shortly afterward, deputies noticed a sudden decline in his condition. Jail staff removed him from the wheelchair and performed CPR while EMS was called. He was taken back to the hospital by ambulance, where he was later pronounced dead.

The Texas Rangers were notified, and an internal review is underway, which the sheriff’s office says is standard procedure in any in-custody death.