Andrew Grande Autopsy Results
The Medical Examiner's Office says the preliminary cause of death for 23-year-old Andrew Grande is asphyxia. Authorities believe he choked to death because a plastic baggie of marijuana blocked his airway.
It all started when Bay County Sheriff's deputies responded to a domestic dispute Friday morning. Deputies say Grande resisted arrest and tried to swallow a plastic bag full of marijuana. That's when at least one of the deputies shot him with a Taser to gain control.
They say Grande pulled the Taser probes out of his body, then began choking. Deputies performed the Heimlich maneuver, but he continued to choke. A paramedic pulled a plastic bag of marijuana from Grande's throat, but he was pronounced dead at Bay Medical Center.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating the incident. All three of the deputies involved are on administrative leave over the weekend, and officials say that will be re-evaluated Monday.
The Medical Examiner's Office is waiting on the toxicology results before it can issue its formal report, which could take up to several months.