Police say man dead after becoming unresponsive in Phoenix patrol car

PHOENIX – A man being driven to a hotel by Phoenix officers after a verbal altercation with his wife died after becoming unresponsive in the back of a patrol car Tuesday night, police said.

Officers responded to a call about a domestic dispute at a house near 16th Street and Union Hills Drive a little before 9 p.m., police said Wednesday.

Michael Robin, 62, and his wife were arguing about money, but it was a verbal altercation with no physical contact, police said.

The wife told police that Robin had been drinking. Police say he had unspecified underlying medical problems.

Officers who contacted Robin said he appeared to be intoxicated and told them he didn’t feel well.

At the request of police, fire department personnel arrived and examined Robin, and then released him back to police.

Robin agreed to stay away from home for the night. Because police determined no crime had been committed, they offered to take him to a hotel.

He rode in the back seat with his hands cuffed in front of his body, police said, with two officers in the car.

A few minutes into the ride, police say Robin stopped talking and appeared unresponsive.

The officers stopped the car near 19th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road, called the fire department and started performing life-saving efforts, police said.

The fire department took Robin to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The Medical Examiner’s Office will determine a cause of death.

The investigation is ongoing.

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