A man who was arrested Friday afternoon for being under the influence of a controlled substance was found dead in his jail cell a few hours later. According to a Sheriff’s report, deputies were called to the Hi-Desert Medical Center about 11:35 a.m. for a report of a combative man. Henry Simmons, 60, of Joshua Tree, was arrested at the hospital about 12:50 p.m. and taken to the Morongo Basin Jail. About 9 p.m., a deputy was performing a routine check and discovered Simmons unresponsive in his single-person cell. Simmons was pronounced deceased at the jail. The Riverside County Coroner’s office conducted an autopsy Monday. The cause and manner of death of Henry Simmons are still pending.
