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Police hit man with Taser
Ronald Petruney, 49, of 1090 Jefferson Ave., remained in Washington Hospital Thursday, and his condition was not immediately known, city police said at a news conference that morning.
An officer, whose name was not released, was patrolling Jefferson Avenue when he encountered Petruney on the ground near his apartment about 1:05 p.m., suffering from what appeared to be a seizure.
Petruney then stood up, disoriented, and attempted to walk into traffic, police Lt. Daniel Stanek said at the news conference.
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Another officer, who also was not identified, arrived on the scene. Petruney was first shot in the legs with two Taser wires. The second officer then applied his Taser directly to Petruney's torso, Stanek said.
At that point, Petruney lost his pulse and was revived by paramedics.
Stanek said the officers followed department procedures in using Tasers. He said city police have had problems in the past with Petruney, who has known mental health issues. He has bitten a police officer before, Stanek said.
Police are preparing to charge him with aggravated assault and resisting arrest upon his release from the hospital.
Police Capt. Bob Wilson said the hospital refused to release Petruney's condition when he inquired about it Thursday.
Related articles:
Man police subdued with Taser dies four days later
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: 11/20/2009
Here we go, Would you people rather of had the police shoot him? Come on people? You either want police to do their jobs or not.
tasers : 11/20/2009
this man is lucky the police have tasers...otherwise he would be dead from a gun shot. good work by the police....this man was the cause of his own problem.....this is what happens to people on drugs and alcohol. god bless the police.....they did their job correctly
inaccurate report : 11/20/2009
Scott Beverage should get his facts before submitting an article. But as usual he prints what ever he wants. The man could not have been hit with tasers wires. The wires do nothing. The man was hit with darts which are connected to the wires. But just like his story about cleaning up the hill, inaccurate as usual. Good Job Scott!!!
Amazing : 11/20/2009
The police have to make sure their lives are safe from the rif raf thats flooded Washington. If the man wouldent have acted out of control he wouldent have been hit!!!
inaccurate report : 11/20/2009
I know some people pick on anything. I know most readers have common sense and maybe he should have just said taser. I also know the wires carry the current. Get a life please.
: 11/20/2009
Some of these cops are not even fit to be circus clowns!!!!!!!
It's not so black and white : 11/20/2009
It's not "tasers or bullets" and no grey in between. Do some reseaching on how many people have died from those. What's worse is the number of times officers have used Tasers unnecessarily. All these cops are so quick to blast people down with them... elderly, young, those with medical problems, etc. How on earth did they do without tasers for sooo long? How do they do it in other countries? Tasers are no more than a huge money making industry and another way to make citizens subservient to the system.
good job to da washington police!!!clap...clap... : 11/20/2009
i dont know if yall ever seen a person havin a seizure but my sons dad goes threw these atleast 4 times a month and with the police runnin up on that man while he was in da middle of one they really dont know what is goin on...and for the police to taser someone with this medical problem its just plain wrong...that man is lucky to be alive...what is it a crime to have medical problems...good job for the police in washington for taserin a guy who is already down and out....clap...clap...
wow : 11/20/2009
how can we expect to continue to have quality police officers if all we do is slam them for doing their job?
More than medical : 11/20/2009
It was reported this man also had mental health issues, and for anyone who has not dealt with a person who is out of control with mental health issues, they can be as dangerous as someone with a gun. The police did the right thing, what has obviously failed is this man getting help or getting jail time. He has bit officers in the past, but is on the street. Over and over police have had no recourse to deal with him either through legal or psychiatric means. The man obviously doesn't help himself. The seizures could be from drugs/withdrawal and not a medical condition or psych medications. Don't assume he is epileptic and it was a medical problem and the police were wrong. The seizure didn't keep him from fighting back.
: 11/20/2009
sounds to me that if the Officer had not been there, that gentleman might have run into the street and could have been hit. Sorry, I think the officer did his job and saved a life, maybe more than one . bc
officer bitten several times? : 11/20/2009
if the officer was bitten several times why did he not go to the hospital for human bites are very dangerous? why when this happened tuesday were just finding out? whats wrong with the police saying who were the officers involved? has there been other complaints about the same officers? i hope the DA investigates this.....it the man has mental problems our government is to blame for closing down places where these folks were at,and now they live next door to us
Thank You Police : 11/20/2009
Thank you to all those supporting the police! You dont see much of that anymore and it is very sad. Keep up the good work men and women. You do have many out there that support you. Please dont let a few dirt bags that obviously were arrested in the past or had run ins with the law give you the wrong impression with their idiotic messages left in these articles!
God Bless Our Police Officers! : 11/20/2009
Many people do not give our police officers the thanks, and the respect, and credit that they deserve. Our police officers put their lives in danger each and every day to protect us. I'm sure that we cannot even imagine some of the horrible things that these men and women police officers deal with every day. These "citizens" that end up getting tasered probably would have that happen if they would act like human beings, instead of crazed wild animals! God Bless all of our police officers! Please respect, and give them the credit that they deserve!
Mental health : 11/20/2009
Instead of complaining about police using non-lethal methods to control someone and get them help, where is the outrage that this man is on the streets and not in a hospital when he has mental/physical issues and is prone to violence. The mental health folks failed him. Don't put it on the police. Telling the difference between a physical/mental problem and a premeditated attack on an officer is not an easy thing. Ride along with a cop someday and see the idiots they deal with and the danger they face daily. They do a great job.
You fight with them : 11/20/2009
I love when people jump all over the police as soon as the word "taser" is used. The taser is a tool that is used to cause as little physical harm possible to both the officer and the person it is being used on. It was reported that that the man had mental issues and was fighting with the police AFTER having a seziure and attempting to walk into traffic. How many of you that bash the police have ever had to physically restrain a person with a mental disorder? Often they do not feel pain and have the strength of men twice their size. It has become a world where many people fight with the police on a daily basis. These men and women have to do their job but then have to deal with armchair quarterbacks saying how they could do it better. If you are one of those people, sign up, wear the badge and see how it feel from their side. Maybe the police should regress to the policing styles of the 70's where if you acted out you got thumped and then put in jail because you deserved it. Bottom line is if you don't fight with the police you will not get hurt!
God Bless Our Police Officers : 11/20/2009
I'm the sister of a police officer, I also happen to be a RN. Your right most would not believe the horrible things that police see, & deal with every day, but I too, deal with horrible things that people cannot imagine in my job. I also put my life in danger when dealing with these same people, but I can't nor would I want to taser someone with the mental & seizure problems this man had. He was post ictal after a seizure, which was witnessed by the police, and often people come out of being unresponsive violently, and are unaware of their surroundings or what is going on. I must disagree with you in the fact that if that man knew what he was doing and was able t "act like a human being, instead of crazed wild animals" he wouldn't have attempted to go into traffic where he would of been killed. In the medical setting people like this are restrained by people, then given something to calm them, we don't taser them. I don't understand why the police weren't able to do what we do the medical setting everyday. As previously mentioned I am the sister of a policeman, who has one of the most negative attitudes toward mankind I have ever been exposed to. I have personally heard him say that if he is dispatched and has to go on a call someone is going to be arrested for making him having to go out. Go out and what do his job?!?! What type of penalty could each of us law abiding, tax paying, ( which is how the police are paid) citizens would be able to treat people anyway we want, just because we're at work doing our job? Now don't get me wrong I personally know police officers who treat people with respect regardless of their walk of life, and those who do this job because they truly care about mankind, so my opinion isn't negative about all. As a nurse my life is at risk everyday due to the threat of violence, and exposure to various diseases, & blood borne pathogens, once again it's a part of my job just as it is a part of law enforcements. Sorry but it is what it is, now I don't want any officer to be harmed, just as I don't want to be harmed. I just believe this was excessive. My opnion!
taser : 11/20/2009
the taser is never to applied directly to the torso..the officer should be retrained.and look for a lawsuit.
FOLLOWED PROCEDURES??? : 11/20/2009
tasers are not to be applied directly to the torso,a warning was sent out by the maker warning doing such can stop the heart.how about investigating mr DA...its also too bad spossy and his cronies dont have their hand picked citizens police review board in placetired
Taser : 11/20/2009
the man that was tased has been an issue to the police,EMS,city fire and police for awhile. he goes in the hospital they let him out. He goes to jail they let him out. Why should anybody have to be hit or bit by this man. He got what he needed. Washington City Police you have all my support.
to all the he got what he needed : 11/21/2009
Did this man deserve to DIE because he had a seizure and became combative because he didnt know where he was and what he was doing I dont condone his actions but this is still a human being who has rights and i do believe he was SICK he had a mental problem which im sure played a huge roll in his actions And to those who dont know the effects a seizure can have on the brain should educate themselfs first before sharing their thoughts on the subject lets hope you never have one and become confused and try to walk in traffic you just may end up dead to. Now these poor officers have to live with the fact that the action they took caused a man his life. god bless and I hope you find comfort
Got what he deserver? : 11/21/2009
The man is dead - now what do you all have to say. Whomever kept letting this man "back out" should be fired. He clearly needed help and yet the system failed him to the point of death. Go ahead, keep on blaming this dead man but the system failed him.
Distrurbing : 11/22/2009
This mans medical and mental condition was well known. Those officers should have called for additional backup. He was already on the ground. People having seizures dont just get up and start walking.
Sinclair no doctor : 11/23/2009
people who co0me out of seizures do get up and walk, run, kick, punch, bite, yell obsenities and so on. Get facts first!
Blame is widespread : 12/2/2009
He should have been in a psychiatric hospital. Mayview or Western Center are closed. Blame for this man's death isn't just on the police. It's on the courts, the state and even the taxpayers.
Sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity : 12/17/2009
Great job, police! A man suffers a devastating PHYSICAL attack and is brutalized. Keep up the good work! I wish Animal Control could be responsible for me the next time I have a seizure. How do they manage to capture pit bulls without killing them?
The man has died in the hospital : 12/21/2009
nt
