SPOKANE, Wash – The family of a man who died in the Spokane County Jail in 2023 is suing the county and MultiCare.
Spencer Wirth died in the jail in December 2023. The Spokane County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death as pulmonary thromboembolism due to lower extremity deep vein thrombosis.
According to the lawsuit filed in federal court, Wirth, 27, was hit by a car in late November.
He experienced bruising on his legs and head. The suit says his health deteriorated in the following days.
The lawsuit says Wirth collapsed at his mother’s home. She called 911 and requested an ambulance. Police arrived at the scene and arrested Wirth on an outstanding warrant.
Attorneys say the jail refused to admit Wirth because he needed medical attention and he was transported to MultiCare Deaconess Hospital.
The suit says Wirth had a high heart rate, shortness of breath and an abnormal EKG.
The suit says the hospital treated Wirth like an overdosing addict and ignored signs like low blood pressure and a racing heart. Attorneys say he was never seen by a doctor.
“These are classic signs of a pulmonary embolism,” attorneys say. “But rather than hospitalize Mr. Wirth and attempt to diagnose or treat the problems, Defendant MultiCare’s staff listed Mr. Wirth’s chief complaint as “medical clearance” and returned him to the jail.”
The next day, Wirth collapsed his cell on the jail’s medical unit.
“Minutes later, when deputies did their supposed medical checks, nobody bothered to actually check on Mr. Wirth—no one spoke to him, let alone actually checked to see if he was conscious or needed help,” the suit alleges. “When Mr. Wirth briefly regained consciousness and yelled for help, the deputies ignored him. When Mr. Wirth pressed the medical alarm button in his cell, it made no sound because Defendant Spokane County’s staff had muted the alarm. When Mr. Wirth was slowly dying a few feet away, the deputies continued watching TV on a phone and ignored the visible distress light.”
Attorneys say when the jail deputy finally checked on Wirth “he found Mr. Wirth unconscious and covered in feces.”
He was transported to the hospital and died about 10 minutes after his arrival.
The suit says Wirth’s autopsy showed extensive blood clots in his lungs.
Spokane County is required by law to report unexpected deaths to the state.
In the report on Wirth’s death, it says he activated the call light at 5:45 pm. When the deputy responded five minutes later, Wirth was pale and didn’t appear to be breathing.
Responders administered Narcan and performed CPR.
The lawsuit says Spokane County and Naphcare, which at the time was providing health care services at the jail, have a history of prioritizing cash over care.
Wirth’s estate names both entities, along with MultiCare and the two deputies who were on duty on the unit that night, in the lawsuit.
They allege deliberate indifference to medical needs, wrongful death and other claims and want a jury to hear the case.
The committee that investigated the death was made up of Spokane County detention employees, representatives from Naphcare and a county attorney.
Their report says Wirth admitted using fentanyl in the prior days and told the jail staff he had been passing out frequently since being hit by the car.
They say he refused his medication at the jail.
The committee recommended the jail improve observation and response time to emergencies.
The report says changes were made to the call light notification system so it would be easier to see, also adding an audio alarm.
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