Man dies of natural causes in small Carson Street park

Staff reports

An alarm in the kitchen at the Firkin & Fox led police to find a man dead of natural causes in the small park next to Comma Coffee.

Fire crews were called to the restaurant in the ground floor of the St. Charles Hotel about 1:43 p.m. Sunday. After discovering the alarm was from a faulty sprinkler head, the scene was turned over to the health department, as is routine for any calls involving food service areas, said Battalion Chief Richard Chrzanowski.

A crew from Sierra Pacific Power was also called out and, during a walk around the building, the power company worker found the man lying on the park bench, said Carson Sheriff's Deputy Jason Bueno.

Bueno said the power company worker and the health department employee attempted to resuscitate the man, but it was too late.

Steven McCoy, 62, was pronounced dead at the scene. He has been a tenant of the St. Charles Motel for about 8 years.

"He was friends with everybody there," said Bueno.

Coroner Ruth Beseler said McCoy suffered from a number of health problems including diabetes and high-blood pressure.

He also suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and had been complaining to friends that he was having trouble breathing, Bueno said.