southbendtribune.com/stories/2004/08/13/local.20040813-sbt-MARS-A1-Taser_used_on_confus.sto

Taser used on confused patient
Police say action taken to keep man safe as he walked in middle of busy intersection.

By PATRICK M. O'CONNELL
Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- A man with Alzheimer's disease who was wandering amidst traffic in the middle of a busy street suffered multiple injuries when a South Bend police officer used a Taser on him Friday night while attempting to coax him to safety.

Thompson Thewo, 65, suffered deep cuts to his face, a fractured arm and a dislocated elbow after the officer tried to keep him out of the Ironwood Drive and Lincoln Way East intersection.

Thewo hurt his face during a fall after he was hit by the first of two Taser probes, then suffered the arm injury when the officer attempted to handcuff him, his son Matthew Thewo says.

Police defended the officer's actions, saying there was no way to know the man was an Alzheimer's patient and that he could have been more seriously injured if the officer had not prevented him from walking in front of traffic.

On Wednesday, Thompson Thewo, visiting the United States from Zambia and staying with family members while he received treatment for Alzheimer's, required surgery to insert metal pegs into his elbow.

"To me, they were way too aggressive with him," Matthew said. "They need to use good judgment when they're looking at someone in the street. If this had been a bad guy and then they had Tasered him, then that's a different story.

"If he had been aggressive or shoved (the officer), then OK, then I can see why they did that. But he was just walking away, and I don't think that's justification for using a stun gun," Matthew said.

But police spokesman Capt. John Williams said the officer, a 13- or 14-year veteran, did what he needed to do to keep Thewo out of harm's way.

"I'm sure that by him Tasering that fellow, that was a last resort," Williams said. "You can take that to the bank."

The police report states the officer repeatedly called for Thewo to come out of the street, but he kept walking north on Ironwood, nearing the Lincoln Way East intersection. The officer tried to handcuff him and pull him back from traffic, but Thewo pulled away and the officer deployed his Taser.

Thewo fell to the ground, but then began to walk away toward traffic. The officer again used his Taser, then called for an ambulance.

"The officer, as far as I'm concerned, didn't do anything wrong," Williams said. "How are we supposed to know that he's an Alzheimer's patient? He was Tased once he put up a struggle."

Thewo was not arrested or charged with any crime, Williams said. Matthew Thewo said his father wandered away from his brother's house while his mother was on the telephone.

The incident has cost the Thewo family about $10,000, Matthew said, because of the trip to the emergency room, additional medical care and changes to travel plans.

i WOULD BE PISSED.

Of course I would be glad at the same time, but a taser jesus. I guess they see it as a dandy little tool to use every where. After all its non lethal right

The big question is:  "How would the police officer know the man had Alzheimer's"?

At least he won't remember it tomorrow.  

CR

(not poking fun, it's sad really)

This one doesn't get me up in arms.  I think the posters above have it right.  Guy is acting weird, not responding and about to wander into traffic.

Let's see

1) He has alzheimer's.
2) He's from a foriegn country (no English?)
3) He's trying to wander in traffic
4) I'm guessing by the list of injuries, he's potentially malnurited.

It's the police's fault for the injuries for stopping him walking into traffic.
It would also surely be the police's fault if he got into traffic and was killed.

Of course, who was at fault for him getting out in the first place?

Not to long ago around here we had a missing alzheimer's patient that got out of the care facility she was residing in.

About 45 minutes later she was dead after wandering into traffic. A volunteer Fire Fighter hit her when she darted into traffic, on a 55 mph road.

The Fire Fighter, was a basket case after the crash. The family of the woman was torn up too.

Having been from the Northern Indiana area, I know the intersection that this happened. It, on a calm day, is a very busy place.  My first thought was the same as SGB, "Where the hell was the family?" He has alzheimers, he needs constant supervision. Like a toddler, you can't turn your back for one second. I feel bad it had to turn out this way, but in no way do I blame the officer.