Concealed drugs dispersed in struggle with police officer at hospital ER

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Screenshot 2017 11 16 at 2.50.44 PM
Macenas/MPD

MANCHESTER, NH — The following is a police narrative of events leading up to the Haz-Mat situation on Nov. 16 at the Elliot Hospital.


A Queen City man was arrested on a domestic charge early Thursday morning and later transported to the Elliot Hospital for an unknown medical condition. Theodore Macenas, 26, of Manchester was arrested at 3:45 a.m. after his girlfriend stated he struck her in the parking lot of McDonald’s, located on South Willow Street.

Officers located 12 Diazepam pills inside of Macenas’ pockets during a search incident to arrest. Macenas, who appeared to be under the influence of drugs during the booking process, requested medical treatment, so he was transported to the Elliot Hospital a short time later.

A Manchester officer stood by the detainee at the Elliot Hospital while he waited on medical treatment. Macenas was brought to the bathroom around 9:30 a.m. when the officer realized he had drugs concealed inside of his body. The officer struggled with Macenas as he attempted to swallow the unknown powdery substance. The struggle caused a tear in the plastic bag, which caused the powdery substance to contaminate the floor of the bathroom and the adjacent hallway. A second officer assigned to the hospital detail helped the officer subdue the Macenas.  

Two Manchester Police officers, an Elliot Hospital security guard and several emergency department staff members were treated for the exposure to the unknown substance. An overabundance of caution was used while treating the emergency workers exposed. Manchester Fire personnel responded to the scene to decontaminate the affected areas.

The powdery substance is currently being tested at the New Hampshire State Laboratory to determine its content.

All exposed personnel have been treated and released from the Elliot Hospital. Again, the overabundance of caution used was to minimize the adverse effects of the unknown drug.

Macenas was charged with the original domestic simple assault and possession of a controlled drug as well as falsifying physical evidence and three counts of possession of a controlled drug from the hospital incident. No bail or court information is available at this time.

     

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Manchester NH Police Department

This press release was issued by Manchester, NH, Police Department.