BCA identifies man found dead in St. Cloud's Heritage Park after police encounter
ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- Authorities announced the identity of a man found dead Tuesday in a St. Cloud park one day after an encounter with police.
According to the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office, Daniel Eugene Salinas, 39, died from undetermined causes. A preliminary report shows no signs of physical trauma, hypothermia or drowning. The medical examiner says it is awaiting toxicology results.
The St. Cloud Police Department says its officers responded to a commercial parking lot in the 200 block of 33rd Avenue South on reports of a man possibly using drugs in a car just before 4 p.m. on April 24.
When officers arrived, they spoke with Salinas, who they say gave him a false name. Salinas allegedly ran to nearby Heritage Park when officers informed him he was under arrest.
Officers then tried, unsuccessfully, to use a Taser on Salinas. The medical examiner says it found one Taser probe attached to Salinas' pants pocket.
Police say Salinas climbed along a fence and was last seen entering a wooded area along the south side of Heritage Park. Officers continued to search for Salinas but didn't find him.
The next morning, a passerby reported a possible dead person on a path in Heritage Park just before 8 a.m. The officers who responded recognized the deceased man as Salinas.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was asked to conduct the death investigation because of the police interaction on Monday.
Both incidents were captured on the officers' body cameras and the BCA says it will review all video as part of its investigation.
The BCA reports that Salinas was wanted on multiple felony warrants and had absconded from the custody of the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
