Officer Chris Rankin

Public Information Officer

903-798-3187 (office) 903-260-0294 (pager)

903-824-4199 (cell) 903-798-3023 (fax)

Texarkana Arkansas Police Badge

Re: Wheeler Release

A 23 YEAR OLD TEXARKANA, AR MAN IS DEAD FOLLOWING AN ALTERCATION WITH ANOTHER INMATE IN THE BI STATE JAIL ACCORDING TO AUTHORITIES. SPOKESMAN FOR THE TEXARKANA, AR. POLICE DEPARTMENT CHRIS RANKIN IDENTIFIED THE DEAD MAN AS DAMIEN WHEELER AGE 23 OF TEXARKANA, AR. HE WAS BEING HELD ON A CHARGE OF CONTEMPT FROM THAT CITY. RANKIN IDENTIFIED THE OTHER INMATE AS NATHANIAL CLEVELAND AGE UNKNOWN OF TEXARKANA, TX. POLICE DID NOT RELEASE THE REASON FOR CLEVELANDS INCARCERATION. RANKIN SAID THAT WHEELER GOT INTO A FIGHT WITH CLEVELAND AROUND 11:30 P.M. ON TUESDAY EVENING FOR REASONS THAT AUTHORITY'S HAVE NOT YET DETERMINED. WHEELER WAS TAKEN TO WADLEY REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER AT SOME POINT EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING WHERE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AROUND 5:00 A.M. AS EXACT CAUSE OF DEATH HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AND THE BODY WILL BE SENT TO THE STATE CRIME LAB IN LITTLE ROCK FOR AUTOPSY. AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENT AND SUBSEQUENT DEATH IS ONGOING BY THE TEXARKANA ARKANSAS POLICE DEPARTMENT

Thank you and you can visit the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department online at http://www.txkusa.org/arkpolice.