Alton police are investigating the accidental death of an 82-year-old man at a local restaurant Tuesday morning.
Police Chief Jonathan Flores said officers discovered Juan M. Valadez unresponsive at La India Mexican Food & Bakery. They had been called to the scene shortly after 11 a.m.
A preliminary investigation revealed Valadez had fallen off a ladder which was leaning against the outside wall of the restaurant.
“It’s an equivocal death at this time,” Flores said. “An autopsy was ordered and our investigators are looking into it.”
Valadez was declared dead by Pct. 3, Place 1 Justice of the Peace Luis Garza, according to a news release issued by the Alton Police Department.
Tuesday was the first day the restaurant and bakery had been open since Saturday because of power outages caused by Hurricane Hanna, according to posts on their Facebook page.
Calls to the restaurant went unanswered.
