http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/348833-nurse-dragged-screaming-to-police-car-after-refusing-to-give
A University of Utah nurse said she was assaulted and unlawfully arrested by Salt Lake City police officers in late July when she refused to let police take a blood sample from an unconscious crash victim who had been brought to the hospital.
Hospital and officer body camera footage shows nurse Alex Wubbels telling officers that it was against the hospital's policy to take blood from an unconscious patient without a warrant, consent from the patient or if the patient has been under arrest.
The patient was a semi-truck driver who had struck a car that was being pursued by state troopers.
"I either go away with blood in vials or body in tow," Detective Jeff Payne told Wubbels, before telling her she is under arrest, grabbing her arms and handcuffing her as she screams for help.
While he is still on duty with the police department, Payne has been suspended from the department's blood draw program, according to The Salt Like Tribune.
Payne said he was advised by his commander on duty to arrest the nurse for interfering with a police investigation, according to the Tribune.
"I can't sit on this video and not attempt to speak out both to re-educate and inform," Wubbles told the publication, adding that she never said no to Payne's request to draw blood, but rather informed him of the blood draw policy.
Wubbles was not charged, and a lawsuit has not been filed.
The police department has launched an internal investigation.
Alex is a woman?
I guess I know a couple of nurses at that hospital. my childhood friend Brooks and his wife. He also does ski patrol stuff at Alta.
"interfering with a police investigation" sure can lead to a lot nowadays
The last line was very reassuring, "The Police Dept. has launched an internal investigation."
Nurses are above firefighters on the saint scale of public perception. Police aren't even on it.
This has been a huge story. The cop is now on administrative leave, not just modified duty. At least one other is as well, but we don't know yet if it's his partner or his supervisor.
The DA has launched a criminal investigation. Last year Utah made assaulting a healthcare worker subject to the same felony punishment as assaulting a police officer, so this is going to get interesting.
this blew up on twitter with my fellow Utah Jazz friends .... they were going crazy
This story sure got some traction... In the internet age these incidents are much harder to sweep under the rug.
the latest news is that they guy died
https://www.ksl.com/?sid=45943568&nid=148&title=crash-victim-at-center-of-u-hospital-arrest-controversy-dies
the guy had been burned on 46% of his body .... and the police thug wanted to draw some blood?
Meanwhile, the police are bitching about how unfairly they were treated by the public being able to see what they did.
https://www.ksl.com/?sid=45937619&nid=148&title=union-says-city-made-pariahs-of-officers-in-u-nurse-arrest
it happens