Carson man dies in altercation with deputies*

* Updated at 3:40 p.m.

Authorities are investigating the death of a 41-year-old Carson man during an altercation with deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies arrived at a home in Carson early Saturday in response to a report of a man assaulting an elderly family member. The suspect, identified by the Los Angeles County coroner's office as Dennis Sapinoso, allegedly began throwing items at the deputies. In response, they used a variety of nonlethal weapons to subdue him.

It was unclear what items the man was throwing or the type of weapons deputies used, but Taser guns, batons and bean bags are among the nonlethal weapons in the department's arsenal, said Deputy Derrick Thompson of the Sheriff's Department headquarters.

Authorities took Sapinoso to a hospital after he became unresponsive following his arrest. He died at the hospital at 11:45 p.m. Sunday. An autopsy was pending today, said Ed Winter, assistant chief of the coroner's office.

* UPDATE: Authorities now say Sapinoso allegedly threw household items, such as broken furniture, a rice cooker and porcelain and brass statues at deputies, said Lt. Patrick Nelson of the sheriff's homicide bureau. In response, deputies fired rubber bullets and "stun bags" to subdue the man, he said. The suspect's 70-year-old mother and a 4-year-old girl had locked themselves inside a room. "The woman suffered a broken leg and was beaten badly," Nelson said.

—Ruben Vives