ECTOR COUNTY, Texas — A grand jury has decided against an indictment in the death of an Ector County inmate.
Wallace Tremaine Howell was arrested on June 15, 2020 and charged with evading arrest with a motor vehicle.
Howell was involved in an altercation with several officers, but a little over an hour later was reportedly found unresponsive in his cell.
The Texas Rangers were called in to investigate the inmate's death.
According to investigators, Howell was involved in a fight with another inmate in his cell. Staff used a taser and pepper spray to subdue Howell, but later he was unresponsive.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office performed an autopsy on Howell. They determined the cause of death to be methamphetamine toxicity and ruled the manner of death as an accident.
As a result of the autopsy findings and other evidence presented, the Grand Jury did not return any indictments against any officers involved in the case that would allege criminal responsibility.
“The findings of the Grand Jury are consistent with State law and the evidence in this case," said Ector County District Attorney Bobby Bland.
"However, the use of force by some of the officers involved in this case was excessive and should be reviewed and addressed by the Ector County Sheriff’s Office," Bland said.