An investigation is underway into the death of a 51-year-old man while in police custody early this morning. The man had been arrested by a Berrien Springs Oronoko Township officer after a call came in about someone destroying property on West Union Street in Berrien Springs, with the officer spotting the suspect while on the phone with the person who made the complaint. According to Chief Paul Toliver, the man resisted arrest and had to be physically restrained. An ambulance was called after the man started having medical issues, and he died at Spectrum Health Lakeland in St. Joseph around 2:30 this morning, roughly an hour after being arrested. The Berrien Springs officer and the Berrien County Sheriff’s deputy involved in the arrest are both on paid administrative leave as an outside agency will handle the probe into the death.
