Austin police release body camera video from in-custody death following vehicle theft, crash

The Austin Police Department (APD) has released body camera footage showing the moments leading up to a man's death in police custody following a disturbance at a convenience store on June 17.

APD said officers received multiple 911 calls around 4 p.m. on June 17 about an incident at the Circle K convenience store, located at 8801 S. Interstate 35 frontage road in southeast Austin. Witnesses reported a man, later identified as 35-year-old Jermaine Joseph Sims, was "acting erratic" and "throwing things."

Police said at 4:05 p.m., Sims stole a pick-up truck from a gas pump, turned onto the I-35 southbound frontage road at Slaughter Lane, in the wrong direction, and crashed into multiple vehicles. Sims was taken into police custody around 4:10 p.m.

APD said following his being taken into custody, Sims was taken to a local hospital by Austin-Travis County EMS. There, he was pronounced dead at 6:04 p.m. APD did not provide details at the time about Sims' injuries or whether police used force when taking him into custody. The department only said that because Sims died after he was detained by officers, the incident is being investigated as an in-custody death.

Now, body camera video provided by APD is providing a clearer picture of the events that led up to Sims' death.

The video shows Sims, wearing no clothes, exiting the vehicle following the crash as police approach him. Officers quickly bring Sims down to the ground before handcuffing him.

The video shows Sims lying on his front, flat on the road, naked, for around two minutes before officers stand him back up. An officer can be heard saying, "We'll get him up in a second – it's probably hot."

Police did not comment on how Sims died. APD said Sims' cause of death will be determined by a medical examiner.

The two officers involved in Sims' arrest were Officer Brandon Langer and Officer David Lewis. Both officers have one year of service with the department.

Officer Lewis' body-worn camera became detached during the incident, fell to the ground and did not provide clear video or audio content, APD said. Along with the body camera video, police also released police radio traffic audio, five 911 audio calls and a private community member's dash camera of the crash.

Currently, there are no charges pending, although the case remains under active investigation, according to APD.