Husband get arrested after rushing new wife to hospital

[Racket_Man]

and gets suspended from his job to boot.

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/newlywed-eric-wright-arrested-after-rushing-wife-aline-wright-to-hospital/19523650?icid=main|hp-desktop|dl2|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fn ation%2Farticle%2Fnewlywed-eric-wright-arrested-after-rushing-wife-aline-wright-to-hospital%2F19523650

guy (a trained medic rushes his wife to the hospital after she starts having a seizure (yes he did run a few stop signs/lights). Police officer follows and allegedly tries to stop husband from going in the ER but husband runs right by him (because we know that seconds count in a seizure or emergancy situation)

husband eventually gets arrested at his wifes bedside for felony evading, disorderly conduct, and traffic violations

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

On one hand I do agree that this was a rather douche-baggy thing for the officer to do, however the police officer's job is to enforce the law. Laws were broken here. He may be a trained medic, but he wasn't driving a recognized Emergency Services vehicle.

It is the position of the courts to decide the results of those crimes and whether or not (and the severity) those actions merit punitive action.

Odds are, given the medical emergency, it will be light.

The being suspended from the job is much the same thing. Yes he acted in the way that he felt was needed for the situation, but there is a felony involved and as such if the guy gets convicted is going to be a liability issue having a convicted felon on the books. Not to mention should he go to jail (personally doubt it) he's going to be away for a long while.

The officer could have been more understanding, but he followed his job description to the letter. Can't really fault him for that. Especially in light of the fact that many of us here are also on Customers Suck and as such know how much flak we can get into for doing our jobs as listed in the description.

The husband did what he felt was right. Can't really fault him there.

The hospital did what they are required to do for some reason or another. I know for a fact that ours has regulations passed down from our parent hospital about ex-felons. So while douchy, can't really fault them either.

I'm going to wait to pass judgment until I see the outcome of the trial. I'm personally betting that we won't hear anything exciting in the future since it will turn out well for everyone and thus will be unworthy of the news media to showcase it further since they only like telling us the evils of the world.

[Greenday]

I always hate these stories. I fully agree it's an emergency. But at the same time, driving recklessly isn't the way to go no matter what unless blood is spraying all over the place. Not only do you risk your life and the spouse's life in this situation, but you also risk tons of other people's lives. And he could have phoned the ER ahead of time so they'd be waiting to take her. This would have let him deal with the cop instead of evading arrest.

[AdminAssistant]

And he could have phoned the ER ahead of time so they'd be waiting to take her. This would have let him deal with the cop instead of evading arrest.

From the article: Furthermore, he said, he called the emergency room to alert them of the situation and let them know he would be arriving.

Also, she was having a stroke and couldn't communicate. I think the life and well being of the wife trumps running a couple of red lights.

[HYHYBT]

It's not actually DANGEROUS to run a red light if, as the article says, he checked that no one was coming first, and police are allowed to use common sense for charges like evading arrest, etc.

As, I believe, are prosecutors. But whatever happens, we'll probably never hear any more about it.

[BlaqueKatt]

The officer could have been more understanding, but he followed his job description to the letter. Can't really fault him for that. Especially in light of the fact that many of us here are also on Customers Suck and as such know how much flak we can get into for doing our jobs as listed in the description.

Yup and the officer isn't psychic-you are aware that gang members will enter emergency rooms to "finish the job", often times using a "medical emergency" to gain entrance, as some ERs go on "lockdown" when a gang member is brought in.

Had he pulled over the first time-yes wasting a few seconds-more than likely the officer would've given a police escort to the hospital-as it is he evaded the police, and as the officer was not psychic he had no idea why the man was running red lights, and not pulling over.

[Nyoibo]

driving recklessly isn't the way to go no matter what unless blood is spraying all over the place.

This is the one thing I'll take exception with, a stroke is just as bad if not worse and response time with a stroke is critical, even a few seconds can make a big difference. There are a lot of things worse than just spraying blood, many of which can't be seen.

[fireheart17]

This is the one thing I'll take exception with, a stroke is just as bad if not worse and response time with a stroke is critical, even a few seconds can make a big difference. There are a lot of things worse than just spraying blood, many of which can't be seen.

Agreed. A brain aneurysm is also another serious one to consider. You don't even know if you have it and once it bursts, response time is critical in order to save the life.

[Red Panda]

If the guy would have stopped and told the cop what was happening then this would all be avoided. For a trained professional he panicked and acted dangerosuly.

[Nyoibo]

And in a situation where literally seconds count stopping and trying to explain something to the cop could have resulted in permanent damage or death, as a trained professional he acted exactly how he should have, an EMT wouldn't stop.

[Red Panda]

An EMT wouldn't have to because he would be in an ambulance. As far as the cop knew this guy was just some nut who wouldn't stop and kept breaking traffic laws. It would have been alot worse for the wife if the cop ran the guy off the road to stop him from endangering other drivers.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

That's all good and well but he didn't have an ambulance and she didn't have the time to wait for it. If he hadn't taken the actions he did she quite probably would have died. Moreover, he was taking every possible precaution in that he wasn't recklessly plowing through intersections or simply flooring it. And while the cop was well within his duty to pursue the man (although not PIT him since the situation wasn't serious enough to warrant that) once he DID find out what happened there's no excuse for being an asshole about it.

The man in question wasn't being reckless and he sure as hell wasn't panicking. He knew what was going on, what had to be done and how to do it.

[Greenday]

The man in question wasn't being reckless

I'll remember to tell a cop that the next time I blow a red light, "It's cool officer, I stopped and looked both ways before crossing the intersection. Totally not reckless!" I'm sure they'll buy that.

Once again, the "Fight the power!" mentality comes out. Facts people seem to ignore:


Reckless Driving
Evading Arrest

Whether or not it was an emergency, he was blatantly breaking the law. The cop is supposed to arrest people who drive recklessly and run from him. You guys are acting like he wasn't doing his job properly or something. If you want someone to be pissed at, be pissed at the hospital for wrongful termination. They are the ones who did the most wrong. He wasn't convicted of a felony so he shouldn't have been fired. Suspended, maybe, but not fired yet. The police just correctly performed their job. There was no wrongdoing on their part.

[Arcade Man D]

Whether or not it was an emergency, he was blatantly breaking the law.

Actually, you may want to re-read the law. From what I remember, the law explicitly states that medical emergencies can take precedence over some of the rules of the road, whether or not an emergency vehicle is involved.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Moreover, ALL laws are subject to exceptional circumstances.

[Greenday]

Moreover, ALL laws are subject to exceptional circumstances.

Which is to be determined in court.

[Arcade Man D]

Which is to be determined in court.

Or could have been determined by the cop.

[KitterCat]

Going by these stories I wouldn’t stop either. If I’m lucky and have my cell phone I’ll call 911 to inform them why I’m driving this fast. I will try to signal or motion what is going on to any Officer trying to stop me, but past that I consider my families lives to be more important than fondling the feelings of some bad apple cop who’s trying to make his ticket quota for the month.

http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0509/626531.html

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/032609dnmetcopstop.3e9c080.html

http://www.news4jax.com/news/23831287/detail.html

An EMT wouldn't have to because he would be in an ambulance. As far as the cop knew this guy was just some nut who wouldn't stop and kept breaking traffic laws. It would have been alot worse for the wife if the cop ran the guy off the road to stop him from endangering other drivers.

Red Panda, EMT’s are required to stop at any accident and give medical care if they are the first responder. I’ve been on accidents with my husband where if an ambulance hadn’t shown up a minute later we would have had to move a patient to a hospital on our own. Just because you’re an EMT doesn’t mean you always have an ambulance. Sometimes its faster to move a patient without waiting.

Medical emergencies do take precedence over a lot of the rules of the road, otherwise every ambulance, fire truck, police car ect. running lights could be ticketed for sooo many violations. So long as its found to be an emergency people get to use most of those laws in there personal vehicles as well. The biggest difference is in how well they’ve been trained to drive in those situations.

[Red Panda]

My point is that this guy was not in an ambulance and didn't stop to tell the cop the situation so the cop has no idea whats going on and had to act based on what he knew, some guy was driving very recklessly. The guy should have let the cop know the situation so the cop could have given him an escort

[jackfaire]

The guy should have let the cop know the situation so the cop could have given him an escort

The guy should not have let the cop know it's likely his wife would have died if he had and as an EMT that would have been considered a worse crime than running red lights.


Yes the cop only knows what he sees but that is his reason for following charging the guy with a crime is done after catching the guy and knowing what is going that is when he decides whether or not charges need to be brought.

[HEMI6point1]

Well it looks like all charges against the man have been dropped and the cop has been placed on paid leave:

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/charges-dropped-against-eric-wright-tenn-man-arrested-after-rushing-wife-aline-wright-to-hospital/19526732

[Caveat Emptor]

The wife says the officer *got between* them and the ER entrance door when her husband was carrying her because she didn't have her prosthetic leg, said an epithet, and "I'm going to arrest you." The husband had to go around the officer into the ER. If it was clear that there was a person in medical trouble, the officer had NO right AT ALL to BLOCK their path to medical care! That is BLATANTLY irresponsible, not to mention obviously DANGEROUS.

[Greenday]

If it was clear that there was a person in medical trouble, the officer had NO right AT ALL to BLOCK their path to medical care! That is BLATANTLY irresponsible, not to mention obviously DANGEROUS.

I'm sure the cop could clearly see in that very brief glimpse that she was in medical trouble, especially since it was internal and all.

[AdminAssistant]

I'm sure the cop could clearly see in that very brief glimpse that she was in medical trouble, especially since it was internal and all.

Erm, considering he was carrying her into an emergency room, the context of a medical emergency could certainly have been implied.

[Red Panda]

Unless it was a case of somebody who is going to kill somebody who is in the hospital, or the person got caught driving reclessly and didn't want to get in trouble so they were faking. The officer had every right to question the situation

[Wingates_Hellsing]

You can question the situation without standing in the way. As much as LEOs should provide for a situation to be false they should also provide for it being true. If it was a cover for an assassination (not very likely) or some kind of cover, there was still no reason to actively prevent the man from entering. To do so endangers the life of the wife if the situation was legit (it was) and is therefore also invalid. The cop could've provided for potential negatives just fine by accompanying the couple into the ER.

[jackfaire]

Isn't blocking the entrance to an ER for ANY REASON illegal. Officer or not there are ways to stop the man from taking his wife in without blocking the entrance so that no one else can get in without trouble either.

Also if she had died because he wouldn't let her be admitted to ER then he is liable for that action.

[Greenday]

Isn't blocking the entrance to an ER for ANY REASON illegal. Officer or not there are ways to stop the man from taking his wife in without blocking the entrance so that no one else can get in without trouble either.

Also if she had died because he wouldn't let her be admitted to ER then he is liable for that action.

Let's say it WAS some crazed lunatic and he just let the guy go. Everyone would be questioning why he didn't stop some maniac killer. He already proved himself to be a threat to the public (reckless driving) so it's not a stretch for the cop to think he could continue to be a threat.

[jackfaire]

Let's say it WAS some crazed lunatic and he just let the guy go. Everyone would be questioning why he didn't stop some maniac killer. He already proved himself to be a threat to the public (reckless driving) so it's not a stretch for the cop to think he could continue to be a threat.

Police escort go with the guy. I am not saying let the guy go I am saying don't stop an emergency from being addressed. The wife gets admited and then you arrest the guy.

It's easy. Seriously last I checked cops carry guns. The guy has his hands full and the woman is obviously lacking in mobility as she is being carried.

Keep one hand on your gun and you can drop both of them really quickly if they are crazed assassins escaped from a bad Hollywood movie there to shoot up the hospital.

It's the doctors job to determine if it is an emergency situation the Cop is to protect and make sure the people don't try to harm others.

Like has been said the cop can't tell if anything is really wrong or not.