A Freeport man was arrested and charged with resisting arrest and assault after he attacked a police medic while being transported by ambulance to Nassau University Medical Center on Sunday, Nassau County police said.
Police said Jose Torres, 29, of Rose Street, was arrested at NUMC in East Meadow at 10:30 p.m. He was charged with second-degree assault and with resisting arrest. He is scheduled for arraignment Monday in First District Court in Hempstead.
The police medic, who was not identified, suffered injuries to his wrist and hand, police said.
Police said Freeport police responded to the initial call, which reported an intoxicated man in the front yard of a home on Ray Street in Freeport. Those officers identified the subject as Torres and called for an ambulance.
A Nassau County police ambulance responded. But, while stopped at a traffic light on Hempstead Turnpike, police said Torres became “agitated” — and managed to unfasten his safety straps. He then punched the police medic “in the face,” pushing him to the floor of the ambulance and continuing to attack him, police said.
The medic was able to deploy pepper spray and use it on Torres. But, police said, Torres continued to fight until police officers subdued him.
He was then arrested and transported.
The attack was the second on a Nassau police medic reported by police within the past week. Police medics were formally known as ambulance medical technicians.
On Sunday, May 8, police said Demitri Nemorin, 22, of Sussex Road, Elmont, was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal mischief after attacking a medic while being transported to NUMC. Police said the ambulance crew had responded to a 911 call at XSport Fitness in Roosevelt Field mall in Garden City just before 6:30 p.m. and were transporting Nemorin, the patient, when he attacked.
Court records show Nemorin pleaded not guilty to the charges and that he is scheduled to next appear on June 27.
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