Two Deaths in Two Days at Santa Cruz Main Jail

James Kohut had been held in jail since May 14, 2017 on felony sex related charges. Sheriffs say an early forensic assessment indicates Kohut, "likely took his own life".

Three people in total have died while in custody of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office this year. In addition to Kohut and Carillo, 35-year-old inmate Carlos Bolanos was found dead at the Rehabilitation and Re-entry Facility located at the Rountree Lane Sheriff’s Detention Facilities in Watsonville on May 20. To date, there has been no public update from the Sheriff's Office on the cause of Bolanos' death.

Additionally, there has been one other death of a citizen while in custody of local law enforcement this year. On June 1, 40-year-old Kevin Allen died while in custody of the Santa Cruz Police. A SCPD press release states officers were responding to a report that a man had fallen to the ground near Water Street and River Street in Santa Cruz when they found and took Kevin Allen into custody and transported him to jail, claiming he was intoxicated. Once at the jail, medical staff there determined Allen would need to be taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead after suffering cardiac issues on the ride over. To date, there has been no public update from the Sheriff's Office on the cause of Allen's death.