Parolee Jabs Cop With Hypodermic Needle

[Willowdared]

Parolee pricks Chula Vista cop with needle during struggle



SIGNONSANDIEGO NEWS SERVICES
10:50 a.m. June 27, 2007
CHULA VISTA – A parolee who was shocked with a stun gun during a struggle with Chula Vista police pricked an officer with a hypodermic needle Wednesday, police said.

The officer, whose name was withheld, and Rashawn Johnson were taken to Scripps Mercy Hospital as a precautionary measure following the violent arrest, said Bernard Gonzalez of the Chula Vista Police Department.

The struggle occurred about 7:40 a.m. while police were doing a traffic-enforcement on H Street, he said.
The officer was standing in the road and waving the suspect over because of a speeding violation, when the driver swerved toward him, Gonzalez said.

The officer got on his motorcycle and chased him a few blocks, until the driver pulled over, police said.

A struggle started, and the officer shot Johnson with a Taser, Gonzalez said.

The man then apparently grabbed a hypodermic needle from a pocket and poked the officer in a hand, he said.

The suspect, who was allegedly driving a stolen vehicle, was expected to be booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, evading, possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of an illegal syringe, Gonzalez said.

[conalabu]

Shitty.

[Beans]

Shitty.

Word!

[BEB]

Hope it was clean. Yikes.

possession of an illegal syringe

What's an illegal syringe? I have a 20cc plastic medical syringe, with needle, with me in the car at all times - it's in my toolkit (and full of synthetic bearing grease in case you were wondering).

[blackcamaro8895]

ohhhh.....my toes went numb when i read this one.

[Ianl6]

I hope the officer has not been infected with anything.

[TXCharlie]

And the public wonders why some people have to be handled roughly in a 5-against-one pile-on.

Well, there's the answer: To keep them from doing that shit

[lewisipso]

Can we say "shots fired"?

[armygrnt502]

Shots fired indeed.

All the more reason to wear needle resistant gloves.

[BigDawg]

I would think that would constitute more than just assault, Felony or not. What if there were hard drugs in it, or some biological agent. Or the perp has aids. I dont know but I think Felony assault is not enough for something like that.

[jmur5074]

Hope it was clean. Yikes.



What's an illegal syringe? I have a 20cc plastic medical syringe, with needle, with me in the car at all times - it's in my toolkit (and full of synthetic bearing grease in case you were wondering).

Here is MN's law on possession a hypodermic needle.

Subdivision 1. Generally. Except as otherwise provided in subdivision 2, it is unlawful
for any person to possess, control, manufacture, sell, furnish, dispense, or otherwise dispose
of hypodermic syringes or needles or any instrument or implement which can be adapted for
subcutaneous injections, except by the following persons when acting in the course of their
practice or employment: licensed practitioners, registered pharmacies and their employees
or agents, licensed pharmacists, licensed doctors of veterinary medicine or their assistants,
registered nurses, registered medical technologists, medical interns, licensed drug wholesalers,
their employees or agents, licensed hospitals, licensed nursing homes, bona fide hospitals where
animals are treated, licensed morticians, syringe and needle manufacturers, their dealers and
agents, persons engaged in animal husbandry, clinical laboratories, persons engaged in bona fide
research or education or industrial use of hypodermic syringes and needles provided such persons
cannot use hypodermic syringes and needles for the administration of drugs to human beings
unless such drugs are prescribed, dispensed, and administered by a person lawfully authorized
to do so, persons who administer drugs pursuant to an order or direction of a licensed doctor of
medicine or of a licensed doctor of osteopathy duly licensed to practice medicine.

Basically, unless you are in the medical field, veterinary field, or need a hypodermic needle for a medical condition as directed by a doctor, you cannot possess hypodermic needles. It is a misdemeanor punishable by 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000.00 fine.

[BEB]

Interesting.

industrial use of hypodermic syringes and needles provided such persons cannot use hypodermic syringes and needles for the administration of drugs to human beings unless such drugs are prescribed

Guess mine would be ok in MN since it's for industrial use and would be useless at this point for administering drugs?

All I found for NE statutes was "Hypodermic syringes, needles, and other objects used, intended for use, and designed for use in parenterally injecting controlled substances into the human body;"

Seems mine isn't breaking any law, though I never thought about it before. Sure caught my attention that something I use as a tool could potentially be illegal.

[213th]

I couldn't find the statute dealing with possesion of hypodermic needles for Alaska. This has me a bit curious, since as an EMT-2, I can administer IV's/select drugs. I carry an IV administration kit with me (no drugs, just saline) in my jump bag, just in case. Now I'm wondering if I should stop until I clarify this. If Alaska has a similar statute as MN, I could see the legality of me carrying such equipment as being only when responding to a call, not carrying as a precaution.