Cook County Jail detainee dies at Stroger Hospital

A Cook County Jail detainee died Tuesday night after spending more than a week under treatment at Stroger Hospital.

Jose Pagan, 54, was pronounced dead at 8:16 p.m. at Stroger, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office and Cook County sheriff’s office spokeswoman Cara Smith.

He apparently died from a blood infection, according to Smith.

Pagan was in custody on a charge of aggravated battery to a peace officer, according to Cook County court records.

Smith said the charge stemmed from an incident at a different hospital, where Pagan was being treated when he got into an altercation and allegedly hit a paramedic. She said he’d been in custody at Stroger since his arrest on Jan. 25 and had been scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.

An autopsy Thursday did not rule on the cause and manner of Pagan’s death pending further investigation.