Eight officers subdue suspect on `bath salts'.

[Lucinda F. Boyd]

Eight officers subdue suspect on `bath salts'

by KTAR.com (September 21st, 2011 @ 12:54pm)

 

MESA, Ariz. -- Eight officers were required to subdue a vehicle burglary suspect who was high on the synthetic drug "bath salts," according to Mesa Police.

The suspect locked himself in the vehicle and threw soda cans at officers before he was restrained after a pro-longed struggle, police said.

The incident happened Tuesday night when officers responded to a burglary call on North Maple Street.

The suspect locked all the doors, refused to get out of the vehicle and "was acting erratically, moving from the back seat to the front seat in a manic manner," the police report said. "At one point, the suspect was holding what appeared to be a putty knife while pulling wires from the dash of the vehicle."

After repeated warnings, police said officers opened the driver's door far enough for an officer to deploy a Taser. However, the suspect continued to resist and struggle. One officer suffered a wrist injury.

The suspect was taken to a hospital.

Mesa Police said the man was the third in the past week they have found under the influence of Bath Salts. They said all three were acting erratically and demonstrated unusual strength with violence.

"Bath Salts" are a powdery synthetic sold under names like "Vanilla Sky," "Ivory Wave," or "Bliss" and create a cocaine-like high. They are to become illegal in Arizona next month.