Former New Orleans Saints football player Glenn Foster Jr died at a medical facility north of Tuscaloosa while in police custody on Monday. According to his father, he was headed to Atlanta last Saturday for business, but was arrested after officers spotted him driving up to 90 mph in a 45-mph zone, Chief Richard Black of the Reform Police Department told NOLA.com.
That prompted a high speed chase between Foster and the police, but that came to an abrupt end after spikes were thrown in the road from police in a nearby town. Foster was booked on three counts of reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and attempt to elude.
His family was informed of his arrest, so they informed the police that Foster had been dealing with mental health issues. Foster experienced a manic episode in college and had another one recently, Foster Sr. said, according to the Post.
The police chief claims he contacted Foster’s family because of his concern about the former player’s erratic and strange behavior and made an arrangement for them to bail him out of prison and have him sent to a local hospital for evaluation.
While his family was on their way to bail Foster out, he had gotten into a fight with another inmate, whose socks he attempted to steal according to police record. That led to him being released at 3:14 p.m. on Sunday and re-booked two minutes later, jail records show, on three counts of simple assault and one count of third-degree robbery.
When his family arrived they were told they could not see him due to Covid precautions. Arrangements were made for Foster to be taken to another facility Monday, Foster Sr. said, and the sheriff’s office, which was in charge of transporting Foster, told the family he got into the cruiser without incident. What authorities cannot explain is what happened before they arrived at the medical facility, because upon arrival Foster was unresponsive and couldn’t be revived, the Post reported.
The Pickens County Coroner is not revealing what caused Foster’s death, and directing all questions to police. However, Trooper Reginal King told CNN there is no cause of death currently, but the investigation is open. King said, “nothing further is available as the investigation is ongoing. Once complete, the findings will be turned over to the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney’s Office.”
WebCelebDaily will update you as more details emerge.
