Man drowns after being stunned by police Taser

By Vince Mancini

Published on October 19, 2005

45-year-old Gerald Laurence Holman was found by divers in about 20 feet of water in Lake Aspen on Tuesday morning. The Yakima County Coroner performed an autopsy and determined that the cause of death was accidental drowning.

Police received a call from Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health officials on Monday requesting Holman be taken into custody, a fairly routine task that involves people considered a danger to themselves or others.

When officers arrived at Holman's apartment around 9:30 p.m., the 6-foot-3 inch 250 pound man became hostile, police say.

Officers shot Holman with the Taser three times, but failed to subdue the man, who each time shrugged off the electrical jolt and pulled out the darts. At some point, Holman pushed past the officers and ran about 40 yards to the lake in his underwear, police said.

Holman dove in headfirst and never came back up.

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