John Wayne Snider
John Wayne Snider grew up in Piedmont, and his family describes him as devoted to his son after the boy's birth. After a car crash left him badly injured, his partner, Britney Dixon, says he was physically disabled for months and depended on others for basic care. He was held at the Piedmont City Jail in August 2020 and died on August 16, 2020, after a cardiac event. His family says he suffered severe withdrawal symptoms and became too weak to get up, and a federal lawsuit alleges that jail leaders refused to send him to a hospital even after EMS recommended an evaluation. The lawsuit's estate representative attributes the cardiac event to a severe electrolyte imbalance, while the city and the two officers named in the suit deny responsibility and dispute the lawsuit's account.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). His estate's federal lawsuit says jail leaders refused to send him to a hospital after EMS recommended evaluation while he suffered untreated withdrawal and grew too weak to rise, and that a severe electrolyte imbalance caused a fatal cardiac event; the city and two officers deny responsibility.
Reported by: his estate's representative (federal lawsuit) (family or their lawyers); the city and the two named officers.
Lawsuit: His estate's representative filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Piedmont City Jail leaders refused to send him to a hospital, and the city and two officers named in the suit deny responsibility.