Monday, April 18, 2011

** California doctors begin process of bringing beaten paramedic out of medically induced coma

** Florida man arrested after firing AK-47 at responding medics

UNITED STATES NEWS

** Los Angeles doctors treating beaten Santa Clara paramedic Bryan Stow, 42, began the process Friday of bringing him out of his medically induced coma. The San Francisco Weekly (Erin Sherbert/April 15) said the procedure will bring Stow to a conscious state for the first time since his March 31st assault at Dodger Stadium following a baseball game with the Giants. According to the newspaper, doctors are concerned Stow may have suffered brain damage. Following the attack, he sustained a fractured skull and brain swelling. To date, fundraising efforts to assist in covering his medical costs have reached $400,000. A $150,000 reward remains in place for information leading to the arrest of the two men involved in the beating.

** A St. Petersburg, Florida man was taken into custody Thursday night after firing his AK-47 at paramedics when they responded to a 911 call. The Ledger (Kameel Stanley/April 15) said the incident, which happened in the early morning hours, played out after the female at the residence refused to let providers in to tend to the alleged seizure patient. Medics were then forced to take cover when a man exited the home yelling that everyone should run;gunshots broke out minutes later. Though no one was shot, one of the EMS responders did sustain a wound to his hand from drywall debris that bounced up from the floor after several rounds hit it. St. Pete Beach resident Calvin Teodoro Foronda, 20, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault of a paramedic, as well as two counts of aggravated assault of a firefighter. He remains in jail pending the posting of a $40,000 bond.