Man on Life Support After Castro Bar Outburst

A gay San Francisco man who had been acting violently at a Castro district bar is on life support, and the man's stepfather is attributing his condition to a sedative that he said first responders gave his son.

Abel Marquez, 36, who reportedly had been drinking and using methamphetamine, suffered cardiac arrest Saturday night, March 11 after breaking a window and cutting himself at Hecho Cantina, 2200 Market Street.

David Monroe, Marquez's stepfather, who said Tuesday that hospital staff are keeping his son "alive with machines at this point," said he's "absolutely" sure that Marquez's condition is the result of paramedics giving his son Versed, which is also known as midazolam hydrochloride and is often given to people before they undergo medical procedures. Marquez believes mixing the sedative with other substances in Marquez's body has endangered his life.

"Basically, they killed him," Monroe said of his son, who's married and is also known as Abel Florentino. " ... They shot him up with that stuff, and two minutes later he was toast." (Marquez's husband was not available for comment.)

According to a summary from Sergeant Michael Andraychak, a San Francisco Police Department spokesman, witnesses told officers that Marquez had entered the bar "chewing on a bag." He took a telephone from a counter, "grabbed the cue ball from a pool table," and "then struck the glass door, breaking it. He broke glass items on the bar, picked up a piece of glass, and cut himself on the wrist," said Andraychak, who added that he couldn't confirm the names of any people or businesses involved in the incident.

When officers arrived, people were restraining Marquez on the bar's floor. He was bleeding, and the floor was "covered in blood and broken glass," Andraychak said. "Officers immediately moved in to restrain the suspect and get the civilians out of harm's way."

Marquez "was tensed up and resisted the officers," Andraychak said. When back-up officers got to the bar, they managed to handcuff him "and bring paramedics into the scene when it was safe."

Andraychak said that as Marquez was being prepared for transport to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, "he suffered a medical emergency. Paramedics initiated life saving measures and transported the suspect to the hospital, where he was admitted."

Monroe shared with the Bay Area Reporter draft fire department records that say as Marquez, who'd been handcuffed, continued to fight with responders, "this crew administered 5 mg Versed IM." As responders secured restraints on Marquez, he "became limp."

About two minutes after Marquez was given Versed, he was "noted to be apneic and pulseless," according to medical records that Monroe shared.

After he went limp, paramedics "began compressions immediately" and continued the compressions in the ambulance as they took him to the hospital, according to the fire department documents, which also say that after the Versed was administered, Marquez's condition became "worse."

When Marquez arrived at the emergency room, he presented "for evaluation of cardiac arrest," medical records say. He suffered cardiac arrest after emergency medical service providers arrived at the bar, according to the fire department documents. The cause is listed as "drug overdose."

Monroe said that medical staff have told him that Marquez had methamphetamine in his system, and the fire department report said alcohol could be smelled on his breath. Records don't clearly mention methamphetamine or indicate how much alcohol Marquez had in his system.

As Monroe pointed out, when one searches for Versed on Google, the result says, "Combining [it] with other substances, particularly alcohol, can slow breathing and possibly lead to death."

Jonathan Baxter, a fire department spokesman, declined to comment on specific details of the case, citing medical privacy law.

Andraychak, the police spokesman, didn't respond to follow-up questions about the incident, and police sergeants who Monroe said have come to the hospital didn't respond to a phone message from the B.A.R.

'He Would Not Stop Fighting the Cops'

A Hecho bartender, who declined to give his name, told the B.A.R. that Marquez had "rushed in" to the bar at the beginning of the incident telling people to call 911 and saying "a bunch of gibberish, a nonsensical rant." The bartender declined to say much more.

Another man said that he'd seen Marquez on the floor being restrained by police.

"He would not stop fighting the cops," said the man, who also declined to give his name. Officers told Marquez, "Calm down, quit moving," but "he was trying to fight the cops," even as he was handcuffed, the man said.

Fire department records say Marquez suffered cuts to his wrist, hand, and at least one finger.

The behavior described in the police summary "was very unusual" for Marquez, said Monroe.

"He's one of the most loving, caring guys you'll ever meet," Monroe said. When he went to bars, he'd buy other people drinks, "even strangers," he said. "He's very generous. I've never seen him violent, ever. I don't know what happened that night."

Monroe said that since Marquez has been in the hospital, scores of friends have come to visit. A Facebook page established in his honor has 217 members, many of whom have been posting messages urging him to "Wake up."

The last time Monroe or his wife spoke to Marquez shortly before the incident, "We didn't notice anything unusual," he said.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Marquez's condition was "worsening," Monroe said, and hospital staff have had to give him more oxygen and increase a blood pressure drug.

Monroe said that Hecho co-owner Jesse Woodward has been "very nice and cooperative."

In a Facebook exchange with the B.A.R., Woodward said, "I don't have any comment. It's a very sad situation and the more it is in the press the more it hurts our name."

A Gofundme page has been established to help pay Marquez's medical bills and other expenses. Marquez's family is asking any witnesses to the incident to send an email to [email protected].