Pacoima Man Dies After Swallowing Cocaine, Police Say

A Pacoima man died Thursday after swallowing a bag of rock cocaine he had hidden in his mouth, Los Angeles police said.

Police arrested Freddie Martin, 28, on an outstanding warrant and later noticed that he appeared ill while sitting handcuffed to a bench in the Foothill Division.

Martin was taken to Pacifica Hospital of the Valley in Sun Valley about 10 a.m., Officer Don Lawrence said, and died an hour later, apparently from cocaine poisoning. An autopsy is pending.

Martin was questioned about 5:30 a.m. near the corner of Daventry Street and Borden Avenue in Pacoima concerning an alleged parking violation, police said.

Officers learned of the warrant for Martin’s arrest and took him to the Foothill station, where they discovered $1,400 in his possession, Lawrence said. Police would not divulge the nature of the warrant.

Police said Martin was a gang member and lived in a room at the Sylmar Motel on San Fernando Road. With Martin’s permission, Lawrence said, police searched the motel room and found a small amount of cocaine and some money.

Officers also arrested the room’s other occupants, Martin’s brother, Arthur Martin, 28, and a cousin, Joseph Martin, 30, Lawrence said.