An Asotin man allegedly bit an ambulance driver and threatened to kill the crew, forcing them to pull over before the man jumped out along U.S. Highway 195 about 14 miles north of Colfax early Sunday morning.
Whitman County sheriff's deputies found the man hiding in a nearby culvert about an hour later, but had to Taser him three times before he was safely subdued, Sgt. Rick McNannay, with the Whitman County Sheriff's Office, said.
Jason M. Hundrup, 41, was reportedly being transported from Tri- State Memorial Hospital in Clarkston to Eastern State Hospital, an adult psychiatric hospital in Medical Lake, Wash., when he allegedly attacked the driver about 1 a.m., McNannay said.
Hundrup got out near the highway's intersection with Cashup Flats Road, and Whitman County deputies found him about an hour later hiding in culvert across the highway at its intersection with Ragon Road.
Deputies arrested Hundrup on charges of third-degree assault,
McNannay said. Hundrup was still being held in the Whitman County Jail on the felony assault charge as of Sunday afternoon.
Washington State Patrol troopers responded, as well.
Two Clarkston firefighters, one a paramedic and the other an emergency medical technician, were transporting Hundrup when he allegedly became violent.
The driver was reportedly bitten on the finger and treated and released from Whitman County Hospital and Medical Center in Colfax, Clarkston Fire Department Chief Steve Cooper said.
The driver suffered open bite wounds on each side of the finger, Cooper said, but the other firefighter was not hurt.
The firefighters defended themselves, Cooper said, but pulled over to let Hundrup out after he allegedly threaten to kill them.
Hundrup allegedly attacked the ambulance as well as the emergency responders taking care of him, Cooper said, and broke the radio, damaged the siren control and knocked a vent out of the dashboard.
Cooper said Hundrup was not in restraints when released from Tri-State and was not restrained in the ambulance.
McNannay said Hundrup had also been previously involved in an assault on an officer case and a threatening case.
Cooper said he was relieved the firefighter was not injured any worse and Hundrup was unharmed during his reported attack in the ambulance.
Cooper also said he was glad this sort of thing doesn't happen often.
Copyright 2012 - Lewiston Tribune, Idaho
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
