Stun Gun Provides Necessary Non Lethal Intervention

Officer Jason Gabriel is the first Nazareth police officer to have used a stun gun while attempting to subdue a suspect. In the early hours of December 20, 2008 John Hendricks IV pushed the envelope a bit too far.

Authorities reported that while on patrol Gabriel spotted the twenty-nine year old man’s erratic driving, including hitting a curb with his car on South Main Street in the Bushkill Township. The officer approached Hendricks and immediately saw indications that he was intoxicated. After the suspect failed a field sobriety test, Gabriel took him into custody, even though he was combative.

Police said that Hendricks tried to move his handcuffed hands from behind his back while on the way to the Bethlehem DUI center. During the second attempt Officer Gabriel pulled off the road and worked to keep Hendricks from succeeding. That’s when the suspect urinated on Gabriel.

Several hours later, Hendricks was still misbehaving. At one point he attempted to fight with Gabriel, police said. That’s when Gabriel used the stun gun.

According to Deputy Chief Tom Trachta, “The guy was intoxicated and he wanted to fight the officer.” Trachta maintains it was the safest course of action and that Gabriel was “well within department guidelines” when he decided to use the stun gun.

Hendricks has been charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and drunk driving.

Maybe he should have been fitted with an adult diaper, too.