Untreated Bites From Police Dog Led to Death of Inmate, Autopsy Claims — His Death Was Ruled a Homicide

After being bitten numerous times by a police dog, Max Gracia was simply arrested and thrown into a jail cell where his wounds festered.

Max Gracia: He was alleged to be involved in an armed robbery. He was, in effect, given a death sentence before his trial.
His death was ruled a homicide.

By Erik Sandoval
An autopsy reveals an Orange County Jail inmate died as a result of an untreated infection he received after being bitten by an Orlando police dog during his arrest.

The manner of death was ruled a homicide.

On Aug. 10, the autopsy says Max Gracia, 22, had complained the night before he died that he was unable to get up from his bed.

He was found unresponsive the next morning, and he was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he died.

Gracia was arrested on Aug. 6 in connection with an armed robbery at the Circle K convenience store on John Young Parkway, near the 408 Expressway.

Orlando police say Gracia ran from them, swimming into Lake Mann, where he was apprehended by a police dog.

According to the the autopsy, his numerous bite marks became infected and sepsis set in.

"Autopsy revealed infection of dog bite wounds with pure cultures of E. Coli obtained from lung and wound swabs," the report indicated. "There was also evidence of systematic shock."

News 6 found out a nurse who works at the Orange County Jail has resigned in the wake of an internal investigation into Gracia's death.Jail spokeswoman Carrie Proudfit says two other medical professionals are also under administrative review.

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