Being Arrested For Having A Seizure.

CDC funded page

Not a CDC funded Page

Has this ever happened to anyone?2 months ago I had a seizure while driving. I hadn't had one while awake for over a year. I woke up in the back of a police car. Asked where I was and was told I was drunk and had caused an accident. I told the officer " I don't drink. I had a seizure." I lost conciousness again. I had on my medic alert. I had hit a building, breathalizer at 0, they didn't care. My I.D card even states that If something happens please call my home to check on my daughter. Nothing was done. I was still charged with impaired driving. They refuse to admit a letter from my doctor. The main reason for this post is that the Police need to pay closer attention. This has happened to many people in my area. Having a seizure on the street and being arrested. My wrists were bruised from the handcuffs. I must have resisted. Maybe if there is more understanding the Police will shown more restraint in dealing with someone having a seizure.

Comments

Re: Being Arrested For Having A Seizure.

Submitted by John M on Thu, 2006-01-26 - 15:23

Re:post seizure arrest and handcuffing I am a retired police officer from a large municipal police departrment and I too have had non-vehicle accidents seizure related- a parked unoccupied car - a dead end barrier - a house before I had to finally surrender and admit that I can not drive and that I was playing Russian roulette with other persons lives. I am the driver police are most concerned about because they don't know what happened If I were a police officer responding to an accident that appeared to have no contributing factors and the driver appeared to be sober but coming out of a non-grand mal I would suspect there is a possibility that drugs were involved or a more serious condition than seizures. I spent 32 years on patrol -22 of them in supervisory ranks who confirms and authorizes an arrest. In those 32 years I never experienced a driver whom I believed had suffered a seizure.If they had any indications were masked because they were unconscious or in shock from their injuries and then the first priority is to get injured person help. Police assume if a person is suffering seizures he or she would not have a license or would be more responsible than me and not be driving. Seizure related accidents are minute possibility compared to alcohol or drug related(whether legal or illegal) incidents.I don't know how to train a police officer to distinguish a post-seizure victim from one who passed-out from an overdose and the shock of the accident revived him or her. The theme stressed to all police officers from NYPD to Mayberry is personal safety and never take unnecessary risks - imagine if a police officer was transporting an arrested person to a police facility unhandcuffed and the person suddenly had a violent psychotic episode - even handcuffed this has happened numerous times.Pisoners go psycho in cells occupied with fellow prisoners - we don't know what is going to happen 5 minutes in the future. Personal safety or handcuffs - which should have the priority? Handcuffs have one purpose - SAFETY-to protect our police, our community and even the person arrested

Re: Re: Being Arrested For Having A Seizure.

Submitted by jontee55 on Wed, 2006-02-08 - 10:56

John: ..and all others in this conversation. I am new on the Epilepsy site even though I have had Epilepsy since 1998. Excuse my novice comments. I will offer my own insites. In August of 2000, I had a seizure while driving, hit two occupied cars in front of me, injured the occupants, and then proceeded to cross a median and hit a brick wall miraculously without hitting any other oncoming traffic. I was wearing an Epilepsy chain, had a card in my billfold. I was treated VERY well by the officers on the scene. Although I was not apparently injured, they took me to the nearest hospital for observation and help. I applaud their efforts since, as you say John, it is very difficult to discern what drug-related state I may have been in. For all they knew, I could have picked up those medical ids to hide my drug habits - they can be purchased anywhere. All this to say, I was handled well. Arrest and the resistance to arrest thing puzzles me. When I have had a seizure, I can't resist anything. I am so tired for such a long time, I just want to sleep. I can barely talk. This is just MY reaction and I am not speaking for anyone else so please don't be offended. Restraint on a gurney should work (in most cases), however, rather than arrest???? I was very lucky because the police report had an eye witness that stated that they observed that: "he began to shake as if he was having a seizure or something and then his car spead up and hit 2 cars..." I was unlucky because I was (not unexpectedly) sued by both sets of people I hit and hurt. That whole process is yet another story in itself. The litigation dragged on for three years and the depositions and the lawyers representing the plaintiffs were the ones I was miffed at. I DID feel like a criminal throughout that process and the plaintiffs were "encouraged" to get as much money as they could. Lawyers make me mad .... :(~ Sorry if there are any good ones reading this. Last, like you John, I understand the integrity associated with having Epilepsy and driving. Driving is a privilege not a right. I made a promise to myself right after that accident to not drive. I chose a a 2 continuous year period even though my state allows a 6 month seizure free period. I am not there yet but will be in 1 week. Yup, it's been 5 and 1/2 years since I have driven, very incovenient, but worth it. I LOVE to drive. God has given me the patience and the ability to move ahead. The peace of mind is far better than the inconvenience. If I have another seizure while driving, I likely will choose not to drive again. Keep on, John, and for all of you others I totally sympathize with you also. For all of us, this is never an easy or predicatable journey!!!!

Re: Re: Re: Being Arrested For Having A Seizure.

Submitted by andy m on Fri, 2006-04-07 - 11:54

On a slightly different note I had a seizure whilst riding my bike round to a friends house. I came round in hospital accompanied by a policeman who told me I was under arrest because in that usual post seizure state I had given him an ounce bag of grass that i was taking round to my friends house. Anyway the silver lining was it was laughed out of the police station. The desk sergeant thought it was hilarious. Of course the only downside was i lost the grass still you can't have everything in life can you.