Deceased Grant County Jail inmate identified

EPHRATA — The inmate who was found dead in his bunk at the Grant County Jail over the weekend has been identified as 34-year-old Soap Lake resident Derek Batton.

Grant County Coroner Craig Morrison confirmed Batton’s identity to the Columbia Basin Herald on Monday.

“An autopsy has been completed; we did that today. However, a cause of death has not yet been determined. We are waiting on all of our test results,” Morrison explained. “On these types of deaths we cover all the bases and we just wait until all the results from every test is done before we put a cause and manner of death.”

Batton was reportedly found in his bunk Sunday morning and corrections deputies performed CPR and other life-saving techniques, but he was pronounced dead by paramedics. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office says foul play is not suspected in the death. A sheriff's office detective is investigating the death.

Grant County Jail intake records state Batton was booked into the jail on Friday on outstanding Kittitas County District Court warrants for DUI and second-degree driving with a suspended license, an outstanding Kittitas County District Court warrant for operating a vehicle without an ignition interlock system and outstanding Lincoln County District Court warrants for operating a vehicle without an ignition interlock system and third-degree driving with a suspended license.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.