An Azusa family is seeking answers after a man, Eric Valencia, was found dead in an out-of-service patrol car in front of the police station following his release from custody on DUI and child endangerment charges. The family is questioning the circumstances surrounding his death and the lack of communication from the police department.
The man had been released from Azusa police’s custody after being arrested for DUI . Tracey Leong reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 30, 2026. An Azusa family demanded answers Monday after a man, who had been released from custody, was later found dead inside an out-of-service patrol car parked in front of the Azusa police station.
The man, 37-year-old Eric Valencia, had been arrested on March 20 at around 10 p.m. for driving under the influence and felony child endangerment, according to the Azusa Police Department.After the LA County District Attorney's office dropped the charges against Valencia, pending official laboratory results from his blood, he was released from custody at around 12:30 p.m. on March 23. One minute after he walked out of the police department, surveillance video captured Valencia entering the back seat of Patrol Unit #37, which was out of service and due for mandatory maintenance. Three days later on March 26, Valencia was found by an employee preparing to wash the police car at 4:50 a.m..Not hearing from Valencia, who lived a couple of blocks from the Azusa Police Department, his sister-in-law said she and other family members stopped by at the police station, asking questions and trying to file a missing persons report. "Come to find out that he was here in a car the whole time. The whole time," said the sister-in-law, Julia McCormick who has known Valencia for 28 years."We want to know what happened. Please, please, we want answers." After family members protested that police were not sharing any information, officials from the Azusa Police Department held a news conference Monday afternoon, showing surveillance video clips of Valencia, from the moment he was taken into custody to when he entered the patrol car on his own. The police chief highlighted that during the arrest and while in custody, no force was used against Valencia. "While in custody, Mr. Valencia was cared for, provided three meals a day, and was checked every 30 minutes for health and welfare concerns," Chief Rocky Wenrick said, adding Valencia was given additional food as he was being released. Azusa police played video footage of Valencia while in custody during the news conference. Credit: Azusa PD There were no signs of major trauma on Valencia, and he had a working cellphone with him when he was found, according to Wenrick. Officials explained out-of-service vehicles are often parked for days or weeks while awaiting equipment installation. Typically, law enforcement vehicles cannot be unlocked from the back seats.The police department has retained an independent outside law firm to investigate Valencia's death, Wenrick added. The LA County Medical Examiner is conducting a separate investigation. The official cause of Valencia's death was not immediately available.
Azusa Police Department DUI Death In Custody Missing Person Police Investigation
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