Overspray From Pepper Spray Nails Officers

When Beverly, Massachusetts police officers responded to “mental health/domestic situation” they didn’t expect to wind up needing medical attention for themselves.

Patrolmen Dana Nicholson and Michael Flynn called for backup soon after arriving at the North Beverly home of Graham Dyer, age 29. According to police Lt. Tim Hegarty, Dyer’s parents had locked themselves out of the house in an effort to stay safe from their son. Young Dyer, who was initially cooperative with authorities, had been trying to get through the door to attack them with a hammer.

Nicholson and Flynn were soon joined by Sgt. Lawrence VanLiere and Patrolman James McInnis. The officers wanted the subject to enter an ambulance they had standing by to transport him to Beverly Hospital. Dyer became combative and put up “some resistance.”

“He was sprayed with pepper spray and he continued to fight,” Hegarty said. “He was sprayed several times, and Sgt. VanLiere said it appeared to have no effect on him.”

It finally took all of the police officers at the scene to wrestle Dyer to the ground and take him into custody. Although the subject had minor injuries, Officer Hegarty said, “All of the officers had to have their faces and eyes flushed out with water, because they were all exposed to the pepper spray.” Officer Flynn sustained a head laceration so he was also taken to Beverly Hospital and he was relieved of his duties for the rest of the shift.

Before the fire department aired out the home with an industrial-sized fan, police found marijuana and ammunition in Dyer’s room. According to Hegarty, the subject will be charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana, ammunition possession without a firearm identification card, and three counts of assault and battery on a police officer.