Twenty-seven-year-old La Porte County Jail inmate dies

LA PORTE COUNTY, Ind. -- The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the death of 27-year-old inmate Coltyn T. Nowatzke after he was found unresponsive in his cell around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Authorities say Nowatzke's cellmate alerted jail staff of an emergency and Jail Division Deputies, along with medical staff, responded.

"Deputies and a nurse immediately began to render aid and resuscitation efforts," the LCSO said. "Members of the La Porte County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived and transported Nowatzke to Northwest Health – La Porte Campus. Nowatzke was later pronounced as deceased by the medical staff at Northwest Health."

Nowatzke was arrested on May 3 by a Michigan City Police Officer for a violation of probation / petition to revoke suspended sentence warrant that was issued in April. He had been housed at the jail from the evening of May 3 until the morning of May 7 when he died.

La Porte County Deputies say detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division were contacted, and a death investigation has begun.