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Man tries to cut off his arm at busy Denny's restaurant
no longer armed and dangerous ?
I realize the food isn't for everyone, and the service can sometimes be frustrating... but you would think the guy could have waited for an appetizer !
A 33-year-old man who tried cutting off his arm inside a busy Denny's restaurant because he believed it would save his life was arrested Friday night, according to Modesto police.
According to Sgt. Brian Findlen, Michael Lasiter of Modesto had been injecting cocaine in a nearby motel when he thought he had injected air into his vein, which can lead to death.
Findlen said the man believed that if he cut off his arm, he could save himself from dying.
Lasiter entered the restaurant at 1525 McHenry Ave. about 10:15 p.m. and grabbed a butter knife off a customer's table and began stabbing himself in the right arm near the biceps. When that didn't work, he ran into the kitchen and got a butcher knife and started "digging the knife into his arm," Findlen said.
Police arrived almost immediately and isolated the man. A few minutes later, they used a Taser to subdue him.
"He wouldn't obey a substantial number of commands and continued to stab himself," Findlen said. "There were some tense moments, but a lot of patrons didn't know what was going on."
Lasiter was arrested and taken to a Modesto hospital to treat severe cuts to his arm.
Findlen said he had "never seen anything like that before" in his 11 years in law enforcement.
He said the restaurant closed for the evening to clean up.
I would imagine the Health inspectors will be checking out this location quite closely, maybe an extra look at the meat locker just in case....
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (21)
at 17:04 on September 2nd, 2008
Modesto, I'm NOT surprised, it's a very heavy meth and cocaine area
at 17:07 on September 2nd, 2008
sounds something like an acid trip of old..... trying to get at the spiders crawling up his arm....
at 17:38 on September 2nd, 2008
Too bad he didn't succeed.
at 18:32 on September 2nd, 2008
World_Groove, I like this story. It's good stuff.
I like your sense of humor. Only a true comic can take a tragic event like this and make us laugh. I wonder why so many people like to get "high"? It seems awful - like volunteering for a lobotomy!
Mary
at 18:37 on September 2nd, 2008
Wow Thanks ! .... I fail miserably more often than not....
at 23:49 on September 2nd, 2008
I had to say something here.. Getting high and the danger of the act depends on the chemicals that you are ingesting. Yes, I love Marijuana but I do not smoke anymore, however I do not believe that getting high on Marijuana is really a big deal. No different than drinking some alcohol if you do it responsibly and in a good place. I just felt the need to maybe state that getting "high" can take on many forms, drugs, exercise, etc. Maybe it would help to clarify the source of the "high". Just my opinion.
at 09:29 on September 3rd, 2008
For the most part I agree. I believe the main social problem is in having a way to show "when" you are on some of the least dangerous recreational drugs. Marijuana testing is all or nothing, which poses problems for employers and police. I think improved testing methods would vastly change drug laws and further the drug war.
at 18:59 on September 2nd, 2008
World_Groove, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 23:47 on September 2nd, 2008
World_Groove, I like this story. It's good stuff. Wow, I hate to say this, but it doesn't surprise me. Meth will make people do some very very very crazy things. And yes, it does sound like a trip from some bad acid. Good call on that one Groove ;)
at 01:40 on September 3rd, 2008
Why did the police taser a man clearly in distress?
at 05:45 on September 3rd, 2008
Part of police training is to prevent someone from endangering others - and themselves. It's the same reason negotiators will talk to someone who has barricaded themselves in their home alone with a gun and is suicidal - every life is sacred (even if you're crazy).
They tasered him because he had a butcher knife and was ignoring their repeated attempts to get him to stop cutting himself. Should they stand by and watch him die?
at 13:11 on September 3rd, 2008
World_Groove, I like this story. It's good stuff.
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JustChuckat 15:30 on September 3rd, 2008
Thanks for using the photo. My Flickr account: www.flickr.com/photos/justchuck/
JustChuck has contributed a photo to this story.
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K Demeat 15:56 on September 3rd, 2008
In Japan I saw "Restaurant Sauce" on the table at Denny's.
K Deme has contributed a photo to this story.
at 16:34 on September 3rd, 2008
So....What did it taste like ?
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martin54321at 16:09 on September 3rd, 2008
You won't belive what I just saw this nutter was trying to hack his arm off with a butter knife.
I rushed over and helped him out with a decent blade.
martin54321 has contributed a photo to this story.
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landbridgeat 17:48 on September 3rd, 2008
just another friday night in chico, ca...
landbridge has contributed a photo to this story.
at 18:55 on September 30th, 2008
World_Groove, I like this story. It's good stuff. Maybe the Moon 0ver His Hammies wasnt done to his liking
at 19:22 on October 2nd, 2008
World_Groove, what an awful story! You would never eat at Dennys again!
at 21:42 on October 2nd, 2008
World_Groove, I like this story. It's good stuff.
Yet another reason to never eat at a Denny's.
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413times2at 15:53 on October 6th, 2008
I'm a phlebotomist, and while, yes air in a vein could potentially kill him, I would think the massive loss of blood would do him in more efficiently. And quicker.