Former NFL defensive lineman Glenn Foster Jr. was involved in an altercation in jail the day before he died suddenly, according to authorities.
Police in Alabama have shared some of the details surrounding Foster’s death, which is still under investigation. Foster was initially arrested on Friday after he was involved in a high-speed chase, Ramon Antonio Vargas of NOLA.com reports. Police in Reform, Ala., spotted Foster driving at speeds up to 90 mph in a 45-mph zone. He was chased along a state highway at speeds topping 100 mph before police used to a spike strip on his car. Foster crashed and was taken into custody following a struggle with officers.
Foster was booked into the Pickens County jail on Friday on charges of reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and attempting to elude police. His family paid to bail him out and made arrangements with authorities to send him to a hospital in Birmingham on Sunday for a mental evaluation. However, Foster was then re-booked on three felony counts of assault and one of third-degree robbery stemming from an incident in jail.
On Sunday, Foster allegedly attacked a fellow detainee. The man was reportedly sleeping when Foster began beating him. While he was being handcuffed, police say Foster tried to fight off a correctional officer and injured the deputy’s nose and hand. Foster remained in custody until Monday, when deputies brought him to a hospital in Northport, Ala., that is closer to the jail. Foster was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.
Foster’s parents say he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder more than 10 years ago. They feel police waited too long to get their son the medical attention he needed.
“We want justice for our son,” Foster’s father, Glenn Foster Sr., said. “It’s unfair. It’s inhumane. It’s just not right.”
Foster’s autopsy has been completed, but authorities have not yet released the findings. The report must first be sent to prosectors for review.
Foster, who was 31, signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Illinois in 2013. He appeared in 17 games for New Orleans over two seasons and had three sacks and eight total tackles. Foster was injured midway through the 2014 season and cut the following offseason.
