The widow of a former inmate at Stafford Creek Corrections Center claims the county is liable for $50 million after his December death due to pneumonia.

Stafford Creek is a state-run facility and at least one county official was unclear why the county received a claim.

Ronja Collins, the widow of Alfonzo Collins of Tacoma, filed the claim with the Board of County Commissioners. The claim has been rejected by the county’s claim review committee and the county considers the case closed at this time.

“Mr. Collins died from complications of pneumonia,” a state Department of Corrections spokesperson said. “He was diagnosed by the emergency room during a medical transport the day prior. CPR was initiated and conducted with no response until he was pronounced dead at 6:02 a.m. by the emergency room doctor.”

County Prosecuting Attorney Katie Svoboda was unclear why the claim was related to the county. She said Stafford Creek and the DOC would fall under the state’s purview.

In 2018, Collins was convicted of violation of a protection order with two prior violations of no-contact orders and sentenced to 33 months incarceration, which he began serving on June 14.

Grays Harbor News Group reached out to the state Department of Corrections for additional details on Collins’ treatment and condition prior to being hospitalized, but was told “medical information would be confidential.”

A reporter also reached out to Gustad Law Group, PLLC, which filed the claim with the county and is representing Collins. We did not receive a reply to a request for comment.

We also reached out to the widow through her legal representation, but we have not received a response.

A claim is often the first step in the filing of a lawsuit.

Commission business

In other county commission news, they approved a petition to rezone a 2.5 acre property on Clemons Road so the owner can build a self-storage facility. They also approved indigent defense contracts and the sale of surplus vehicles.

The Fair Events and Tourism board got approval to enter into a bulk media purchase agreement with Busby Media for $293,000 as well as a creative services extension agreement with Friendly Voice, Inc. for $59,600.

The Forestry board will purchase a 10 acre plot of timberland, which runs through county land, from Rayonier Forest Resources LP for $62,500.

“The parcel will provide improved operational access to currently owned timberlands,” states a letter from Jon Price, director of the county Forestry department, to the commissioners.