SAITAMA (TR) – A male hit-and-run suspect has died after being found collapsed in his cell at a police station in Sakado City. The case is being treated as a suicide, police said on Monday, reports NHK (Sept. 3).
At around 7:00 a.m. on Monday, a staff member at the Nishi Iruma Police Station performing rounds found Kunio Tamura, a 74-year-old notary public living in Kumagaya City, collapsed in his cell with a futon over his head and toilet paper stuffed in his nose and mouth, according to police.
Tamura was rushed to a hospital where he died about one hour later. Though the cause of death is under investigation, police believe Tamura took his own life.
At 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, personnel did not observe Tamura, who was on medication for a chronic disease, behaving strangely at roll-call for the turning off of the lights.
Last month, police accused Tamura of fatally striking a woman, 75, with his vehicle on a prefectural road in the town of Ogose. He initially denied the allegations. However, he later changed course and admitted to the charges.
“Since the matter is under investigation, we cannot offer comment,” said a representative of the Nishi Iruma Police Station.
