Tue Jun 19, 2012, 07:31 PM

Nashville Restaurant Owner Died Of Carbon Dioxide Poisoning In Cooler, Likely Overcome Within A 'Few

Source: ABC

A Nashville restaurateur who was found dead in a walk-in refrigerator died of suffocation from carbon dioxide inside, and was likely overcome by the gas in a matter of minutes, the Nashville medical examiner ruled today.

Jay Luther, 47, was found dead Monday morning in the cooler of the Germantown East Cafe. Luther, who was co-owner of the cafe, pressed a burglar alarm in the cooler that called police to the scene.

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When Luther went to check on the food Sunday night, he became trapped. The internal latch had been malfunctioning before the weekend, police said.

The restaurateur didn't have his cellphone, but he tripped the burglar alarm in the cooler, hoping officers would come to free him.

Three officers and one sergeant arrived within five minutes of the call, but did not investigate after "they found the building to be dark and all doors secure."

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/nashville-restaurant-owner-found-dead-cooler/story?id=16602832#.T-ELU5FGAX4

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31 replies	Author	Time	Post
Nashville Restaurant Owner Died Of Carbon Dioxide Poisoning In Cooler, Likely Overcome Within A 'Few (Original post)	Liberal_in_LA	Jun 2012	OP
That is sooo scary. When I was a little kid in a little town, the local	RKP5637	Jun 2012	#1
I notice that all new cars have that inside release lock. Scary to be locked in anything	Liberal_in_LA	Jun 2012	#4
This sounds dumb, but I've been in cars where I couldn't find the	RKP5637	Jun 2012	#8
yes, that is why we are required to remove the refrig door before dumping.	Liberal_in_LA	Jun 2012	#12
but then, that's wayyyy too much regulation ...	zbdent	Jun 2012	#18
Sad and I do hope he went as quick as they say.	siligut	Jun 2012	#2
Maybe it was more of a panic button alarm.	zbird	Jun 2012	#3
is common	justabob	Jun 2012	#5
I am trying to decide if the police should have known that.	siligut	Jun 2012	#11
false alarms are very common..	IrishAle	Jun 2012	#16
I don't know, but I bet a well stocked freezer/cooler in a restaurant is	RKP5637	Jun 2012	#6
I would think if you're robbing a restaurant you might put all the employees in the cooler. Police	Erose999	Jun 2012	#21
Definitely!!! n/t	RKP5637	Jun 2012	#24
My friend's dad owned a bar.	Hassin Bin Sober	Jun 2012	#7
That sure makes sense to me! SH** happens. n/t	RKP5637	Jun 2012	#9
That's where they kill you.	era veteran	Jun 2012	#10
Yep. See: Brown's Chicken Massacre	Hassin Bin Sober	Jun 2012	#17
Both murderers denied probation last year. We are not forgetting.	era veteran	Jun 2012	#20
That appears to be a different murder. n/t	bitchkitty	Jun 2012	#26
He's talking about his friend's murder not the Brown's murders.	Hassin Bin Sober	Jun 2012	#27
Ah - my mistake. n/t	bitchkitty	Jun 2012	#29
Because some robbers put victims into a cooler so they can get away.	marble falls	Jun 2012	#22
because during an armed robbery they commonly put you in the cooler and lock it	KurtNYC	Jun 2012	#28
Carbon dioxide? Did he trip the fire extinguisher system? n/t	jtuck004	Jun 2012	#13
news typo??	Liberal_in_LA	Jun 2012	#14
The power was out	TNDemo	Jun 2012	#15
Oh, didn't see that. Thank you. n/t	jtuck004	Jun 2012	#19
I worked on an Ice Cream truck that used dry ice	FrodosPet	Jun 2012	#31
One time at my job I had to remove an old refrigerator from a six foot deep concrete pit	AngryAmish	Jun 2012	#23
You're very very lucky! Glad you got out OK. When I was a kid my	RKP5637	Jun 2012	#25
This is also why you don't take dry ice into an elevator with you	Duer 157099	Jun 2012	#30

Response to Liberal_in_LA (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2012, 07:39 PM

RKP5637 (25,592 posts)

1. That is sooo scary. When I was a little kid in a little town, the local

one horse food store had a huge freezer with just a small push bar inside to get out if the door was closed. As a little kid I used to wonder would would happen if the sole proprietor of the store went in the freezer and the door wouldn't release to get out. That was way before cell phones and I doubt there was any device inside to call for help. Used to always spook me some as a tiny kid.

Nashville Restaurant Owner Died Of Carbon Dioxide Poisoning In Cooler, Likely Overcome Within A 'Few

1. That is sooo scary. When I was a little kid in a little town, the local

4. I notice that all new cars have that inside release lock. Scary to be locked in anything

8. This sounds dumb, but I've been in cars where I couldn't find the

12. yes, that is why we are required to remove the refrig door before dumping.

18. but then, that's wayyyy too much regulation ...

2. Sad and I do hope he went as quick as they say.

3. Maybe it was more of a panic button alarm.

5. is common

11. I am trying to decide if the police should have known that.

16. false alarms are very common..

6. I don't know, but I bet a well stocked freezer/cooler in a restaurant is

21. I would think if you're robbing a restaurant you might put all the employees in the cooler. Police

24. Definitely!!! n/t

7. My friend's dad owned a bar.

9. That sure makes sense to me! SH** happens. n/t

10. That's where they kill you.

17. Yep. See: Brown's Chicken Massacre

20. Both murderers denied probation last year. We are not forgetting.

26. That appears to be a different murder. n/t

27. He's talking about his friend's murder not the Brown's murders.

29. Ah - my mistake. n/t

22. Because some robbers put victims into a cooler so they can get away.

28. because during an armed robbery they commonly put you in the cooler and lock it

13. Carbon dioxide? Did he trip the fire extinguisher system? n/t

14. news typo??

15. The power was out

19. Oh, didn't see that. Thank you. n/t

31. I worked on an Ice Cream truck that used dry ice

23. One time at my job I had to remove an old refrigerator from a six foot deep concrete pit

25. You're very very lucky! Glad you got out OK. When I was a kid my

30. This is also why you don't take dry ice into an elevator with you