A 27-year-old man with Hepatitis C was arrested early Friday morning after Cleveland police say he spit in an officer's face and mouth.
According to a police report, two officers were called to Ontario and Prospect around 2:47 a.m. to assist Cuyahoga Community College police with a man on the sidewalk who was passed out drunk. EMS crews were later called to assist in waking up Matthew Wenzler of Avon Lake, and once he awoke, officials say he became "very hostile and combative."
Wenzler allegedly continued to refuse any assistance as officials tried to help him, all while cursing and "flailing his body around." It was then that officers say they decided to arrest Wenzler for disorderly conduct. As one of them tried to handcuff him, Wenzler allegedly spit "a large wad of flem" into the officer's face, getting saliva into the officer's eyes, nose, and mouth.
Wenzler apparently kept spitting at both officers and EMS officials, getting saliva on all of their faces. A spit sock was finally put over his head, but the police report claims Wenzler "kept spitting until the spit sock was soaked with his bloody spit."
The suspect was taken to Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital, where officers and EMS officials were told Wenzler was a heroin addict with Hepatitis C. As a result, all spat-on officials were treated at the same hospital.
Wenzler was charged with four counts of felonious assault.
