Man dies at Seward correctional facility after medical emergency, troopers say

A 37-year-old man died of a medical emergency Monday after he spent five days at Spring Creek Correctional Center in Seward, authorities said Thursday.

Daniel Eugene Rosendahl’s death was the third to occur in an Alaska Department of Corrections facility within a week, the agency said.

He was housed at Spring Creek when he died Monday afternoon, they said.

Rosendahl’s death appeared to be related to a medical emergency and he died at an Anchorage hospital, said Austin McDaniel, a spokesman for the Alaska State Troopers, which investigates in-custody deaths.

Foul play was not suspected in Rosendahl’s death and the State Medical Examiner will ultimately determine his cause of death, the corrections department said.

Rosendahl was taken into custody Jan. 10 and was awaiting trial on charges including burglary and driving under the influence, corrections officials said.

Rosendahl is the third man to die in Southcentral Alaska correctional facilities within five days. Joshua Keith Zimmerman, 33, died Friday after a month in custody awaiting trial on charges including theft, escape and violating conditions of his release in previous convictions, officials said.

Also on Friday, 82-year-old John Malcolm Groff died in custody. His death was expected, the department said.

The corrections department saw a record number of deaths in 2022, when 18 people died in custody. Seven of those deaths were attributed to suicide. Last year, the department said 10 people died in custody.