Coroner: Westmoreland prison inmate died of drug overdose

A man died at the Westmoreland County Prison in September as a result of an accidental drug overdose, Coroner Tim Carson said Friday.

Terry L. Brumley Jr., 33, was discovered unresponsive in his cell the morning of Sept. 28. Carson didn’t provide additional details.

Three other inmates were treated at a hospital the same day before returning to the Hempfield facility. Westmoreland County detectives were investigating. County offices were closed Friday.

When contacted by the Trib, Gina Brumley questioned the coroner’s ruling about her son’s death and said she felt that way because no one has been able to tell her how he ingested any drugs.

Carson said it was unclear from the autopsy how he ingested the drugs, but there was no evidence of a smoking device or use of a needle.

Terry Brumley had an Oklahoma address and previously lived in Southwest Greensburg. He had been held at the jail since Jan. 4, according to jail records.

It’s the same day state police said he stole a van belonging to a Youngwood business, crashed it in New Stanton and then led troopers on a foot chase. Police said in court papers that Brumley appeared to be under the influence of methamphetamine and they seized drug paraphernalia from his pocket.

Brumley pleaded guilty Aug. 29 to theft, criminal trespass, flight to avoid apprehension and related offenses and was sentenced to one and a half to three years in a state prison, according to court records.

His attorneys sought to have him released on pretrial services after a June evaluation recommended that he participate in residential inpatient drug rehabilitation followed by a halfway house. It didn’t appear from court records that the motion was ever heard or granted.