Darren Culleton death: Coronial inquest hears man appears to call for police before collapse

CCTV footage of inside a police divvy van has revealed a man, high on ice, appeared to call out to police moments before he fell unconscious, a coronial inquest has heard.

A coronial inquest is being held into Darren Culleton’s death. Picture: David Crosling

A young father doused himself in kerosene and tried to light himself on fire just hours before he was found “unresponsive” in a police divvy van, a coronial inquest has heard.

Minutes after arriving at Fitzroy’s St Vincent Hospital reception on February 5, 2021, Darren Culleton, 31, pulled out a glass bottle of kerosene and a lighter and attempted to set himself alight.

“I need help,” he told hospital staff as he paced around the room.

“I don’t want to die.”

Despite his highly “agitated” state, Darren passed a mental health check at St Vincent’s Hospital before being transported to Melbourne West police station to be interviewed over shoplifting offences.

Just two hours later, Darren would be found unresponsive in a van parked at the Victoria Police Centre on Spencer St with a piece of material from his coveralls – a disposable jumpsuit provided by police – lodged in the back of his throat.

Three days later the father of two was dead.

Counsel assisting the Coroner Carly Marcs told the court on Monday that Darren had put on his coveralls backwards “so that the hood was near his throat” before he was fitted with an anti-suicide vest.

He was then handcuffed and placed into the back of a divvy van.

“Darren was locked in the pod for 48 minutes,” Ms Marcs said.

While in the van, the young dad – who was high on ice at the time – was able to chew off part of the hood of his coveralls and push it into his mouth.

Footage from two cameras inside the divvy van, which officers are responsible for monitoring, allegedly shows Darren calling out for help.

“Darren appeared to call out, ‘Boss, boss, boss, boss’,” Ms Marcs said.

“Less than a minute later … he was sweating, thrashing around and having difficulty breathing.”

Darren then collapsed onto his back.

“Police officers who were monitoring him through the small camera in the driver’s cabin of the van did not open the rear door to check on Darren at this point,” Ms Marcs said.

The young dad lay unconscious for three minutes before he was discovered by officers.

Despite successful resuscitation efforts, he was pronounced brain dead.

Darren’s heartbroken family, who attended the beginning of the inquest on Monday, remembered him as a “charismatic” and “respectful” man and a “loving father”.

His family reported that he was attempting to battle his “problematic” drug use, which began in his mid-20s, and would often “recover” at his parents’ home.

During the inquest, which is expected to run for 11 days, body-cam footage from the officers and CCTV from inside the van will be assessed by the Coroner.

The investigation comes just three weeks after a coronial investigation into the death of Ferntree Gully man Andrew Berry, who was also found unresponsive in a police divvy van.

It will continue on Tuesday.