A ruling on the cause of death for an Edinburgh man who died after fleeing from Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies by swimming across the Driftwood River is still pending after an autopsy.
Bartholomew County Coroner Larry Fisher said he is waiting on toxicology results before issuing a statement on the cause of death for Robert A. Quick, 44, who was pronounced dead at Columbus Regional Hospital at about 9:22 p.m. Monday.
Quick had some underlying medical conditions that could have presented a problem depending on what investigators find in the toxicology results, Fisher said. The autopsy did not find any indication of water in Quick’s lungs from swimming across the river, he said.
Sheriff’s deputies were sent to the 4100 block of North County Road 250W at about 8:30 p.m. about a suspicious vehicle and began following a white 1996 van that Quick was in, said Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, Indiana State Police spokesman.
The van came to a stop and Quick, who was in the back seat, fled on foot and then swam across the Driftwood River while being pursued by one of the deputies, Wheeles said.
Upon reaching the other side of the river, Quick began having medical difficulties and collapsed, Wheeles said. The deputy called for medical help and began initiating medical care to Quick, who was then taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead by Fisher.
