A Gwinnett County man who died after a single slap to the face was killed by a tear in his vertebral artery, a Gwinnett County homicide detective said.
Tomas Rodriguez died after a child’s birthday party at a Dacula home early on Dec. 3 after Adrian Herrera slapped him, according to police. The Gwinnett County Medical Examiner’s office later determined Rodriguez’s cause of death was a torn vertebral artery, a major artery in the neck that provides blood to the brain, spinal cord and other vital organs.
Herrera told police that Rodriguez had been harassing him, and that as Herrera attempted to leave the home that night, Rodriguez grabbed his shoulder and called him a vulgar name. Herrera has been charged with voluntary manslaughter in connection with Rodriguez’s death.
Herrera was granted $35,000 bond after a Dec. 14 hearing.
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