Agitated Patient Bites Kansas City Officer

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Aug. 29--A Kansas City police officer suffered deep bite wounds early Sunday after a man believed to be high on PCP attacked him in the back of an ambulance.

The officer was one of two officers sent to the BP gas station at 1700 Independence Ave. about 3:45 a.m. after witnesses reported a man "fighting himself" and "having some form of psychotic episode," according to police reports. The man asked officers to call him an ambulance, so the officers did.

Because of the man's strange behavior, the officers handcuffed the man, who became increasingly agitated, according to police reports. Medical workers loaded the man onto a gurney and into an ambulance and the officers rode along.

During the transport, the man wiggled himself loose in his restraints, police said. When the officer tried to stop his movements, the man bit two of the officer's fingers. Police said the bites left deep marks and may have broken the officer's pinky finger.

The 21-year-old suspect, who had two outstanding city warrants, was admitted into the hospital for treatment. Police cited him for resisting arrest. The officer was sent to another hospital for treatment of his hand injuries.

--Christine Vendel, cvendel@kcstar.com