MT. LEBANON, Pa.,None — A woman in Mount Lebanon said she needed medical help when she had an epileptic seizure and instead was arrested by police.
Jessica Yochum has filed a federal lawsuit against the Mount Lebanon police department. According to documents, she is suing the department for false arrest, excessive use of force, filing false criminal changes and violating her constitutional rights.
Yochum said she was working at Houlihan's restaurant at the Galleria in Mount Lebanon when she had a seizure. Yochum said when police arrived, they accused her of being high on drugs.
"The next thing I know, I'm shackled to a bed and accused of being a drug addict. It doesn't have any correlation and I suffer from epilepsy," said Yochum.
Yochum said when the EMT's removed her from the restaurant she was still having a seizure and unintentionally bit a paramedic. Yochum said she didn't know what she was doing but police still charged her with aggravated assault.
"When somebody is in the throes of an epileptic seizure and you go to restrain them, put force upon them, their response is going to be to flail," said Yochum's civil rights attorney, Tim O'Brien.
Yochum said she when she arrived at the hospital she still remained shackled.
"I was completely shackled and handcuffed to the bed. I was crying and I asked them if they could loosen them. My hands hurt and they said ‘no because you're on drugs,'" she said. "I have a fear and stress about it happening again and who's there to serve and protect me."
A blood test taken at the hospital showed no signs of drugs in Yochum's system.
Mount Lebanon district judge Blaise LaRotonda threw out all the charges against Yochum.
Channel 11 News tried to contact the Mount Lebanon police department and the medical rescue team but both declined to comment.
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