Taser deployed on man suffering medical emergency; handcuffed by police

CHARTIERS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A Washington County man claims that police handcuffed him and used a Taser on him when he was suffering a medical emergency.

Lou Spadaro told Channel 11’s Cara Sapida that he felt like police and paramedics treated him like a criminal last Wednesday when his wife called 911 saying he was having a seizure or a heart attack.

“I was like, ‘I can’t see if he's breathing. He's purple.’ I was screaming, ‘You have to get here,’” said Heather Spadaro, Lou’s wife.

The Spadaros said that when police and paramedics arrived at their Chartiers Township home, they immediately became demanding, wanting to know what drugs Lou took.

“I said, ‘I understand you deal with overdoses every day. I get it, but this isn't an overdose. You have to listen to me.’ They just ignored me,” Heather said.

Lou said he was handcuffed and shocked with a Taser four times, then taken to Canonsburg Hospital and transferring to a UPMC facility. The Spadaros said Lou’s blood and urine tests game back negative for drugs.

“We are not on drugs, we don't do drugs,” Heather Spadaros said.

Nearly a week later, Lou Spadaro said he still has the Taser marks on his back and handcuff marks on his wrists.

Chartiers Township police said they are investigating. They said Lou was combative and bit a volunteer firefighter and possibly a medic.

Sapida reached out to Canonsburg Ambulance Service to ask if they administered Naloxone, but we have not heard back. Washington County public safety officials told Sapida that medics can administer Naloxone to an unconscious person regardless of whether it’s an overdose.

Cox Media Group