Tuesday, June 16, 2009
** Brooklyn EMT arrested on theft and drug charges after sting operation
** Oklahoma state police release dash cam video detailing confrontation with paramedics
** Two UK medics in hospital after patient attacks them
UNITED STATES NEWS
** A Brooklyn, New York EMT was arrested Sunday by police after a sting operation caught him stealing money from a man posing as a patient. The New York Daily News (Mike Jaccarino/June 14) said Daniel Barrasso, 31, was taken into custody after being read his rights at Coney Island Hospital. According to the newspaper, Barrasso allegedly pocketed $100 from an envelope in the patient’s home after responding to call for a minor injury there. With the patient actually being a Department of Investigation agent, the jig was rapidly up and Barrasso was charged with attempted burglary. He was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance after a search of his person found 38 OxyContin pills in an unmarked bottle.
** The video from a state patrol car’s dash camera, depicting a confrontation between a state trooper and paramedic, has been released. Fox News (June 13) said the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety finally made the footage public Friday. According to the news station, the decision was motivated by persistent viewing of a cell phone video of the same scene broadcast widely on the Internet. Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokesman Capt. Chris West said the delay in the release was due to a number of factors, including preserving the integrity of the investigation into the incident, as well as the rights of those involved. The move comes mere days after West indicated the trooper alleged to have attacked paramedic Maurice White had been suspended. It also follows an announcement by White’s attorney that a lawsuit would be forthcoming to force police to release the film.
UNITED KINGDOM NEWS
** Two Farnworth paramedics were forced to seek hospital treatment last Thursday after a patient clocked them during a call. The Bolton News (June 13) said the duo was attacked around 2:15 a.m, with one of the providers sustaining a blow to the face. The male patient was arrested on suspicion of assault. The incident follows the launch of the Stop Abuse campaign aimed at stemming attacks and aggressive behaviour towards medics.
