Officer saves man choking on weed
Image source: Twitter screen grab
WATCH: US officer saves man choking on bag of weed during routine stop
The patrol officer performed the Heimlich Maneuver on the man, whom he had initially pulled over for speeding
Officer saves man choking on weed
Image source: Twitter screen grab
Sometimes it’s easier to just confess to a crime than trying to conceal it: A 24-year-old man in Ohio, in the United States (US) learned that the hard way when he almost choked on a small bag of weed, during a traffic stop just recently, The New York Post reports.
“Don’t try to swallow a bag of drugs prior to getting pulled over in an attempt to keep a trooper from finding them. Luckily, Tpr. Hoskin from our Ravenna Post was alert and able to assist the man who was choking on a bag of illegal marijuana,” the Ohio State Patrol’s official Twitter account wrote on Thursday, 8 July 2021.
Watch: Ohio man saved from weed
The officer, Charles Hoskin’s encounter with suspect, Stephan Elash, is all captured on dash camera video. In the clip, which is nearly two minutes long, Hoskin pulls Elash over, who’s driving a white Chevy Malibu. Hoskin then notices that Elash is choking then asks if he is okay.
Elash then gets out of his car and tries to cough up his stash unsuccessfully before Hoskin helps him with the Heimlich Maneuver, which basically saves his life.
“What did you swallow?,” Hoskin asks after the man regurgitates the bag.
“A gram of weed, officer. I’m sorry,” Elash answers.
Elash then sits down, and the following exchange happens:
Hoskin: “We’ve got an ambulance coming just to check you out. Make sure everything is good.”
Elash: “I’m sorry.”
Hoskin: “I know… [It’s] a minor misdemeanor. You want to die over a minor misdemeanor?”
Elash: “No.”
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Elash was initially pulled over for going 94mph in a 70mph speed limit zone. He was apparently cited for speeding and failure to wear a seat belt. He also received a misdemeanor summons for marijuana possession.
