By Joanna Putman
Police1
LOS ANGELES — Body camera footage shows the moment a DUI suspect tried to bite an LAPD officer in a hospital, KTLA reported.
Footage released April 1 shows officers responding to a March 1 traffic crash and detaining the man on suspicion of DUI. Video shows that the suspect suffered head and face injuries as a result of the crash, according to the report.
Video shows officers placing handcuffs on the man and trying to put him into a cruiser. Upon realizing he is being detained, the suspect begins to resist officers, an action which appeared to aggravate injuries from the crash. He cried out in pain and refused to stand up and get into the cruiser.
Due to the man’s injuries, officers decided to call an ambulance for him instead.
Officers who initially detained the suspect followed the ambulance to a hospital and accompanied the fire department personnel inside. As the man was wheeled into the hospital on a gurney, he began acting aggressively and attempted to get off the gurney.
Officers gave verbal instructions for the man to lie down. He did not comply, and instead began resisting the officers. Still handcuffed, he attempted to bite one of them.
During the struggle, one of the officers made contact with the suspect’s face and neck, officially categorizing the incident as a use of force, LAPD said. The officer can be seen using his hand on the man’s jaw, attempting to keep him from biting other officers and pushing him down onto the gurney.
Officers then covered his face with a towel, using it to pull him down onto the gurney. The suspect continued to resist officers but appeared to calm down.
The man eventually complied with officers’ instructions and received medical care, the video shows. He did not sustain any additional injuries during the use of force, according to the report.