Utah troopers use Taser on "Mexican transient"

[Bluebear]

Once a suspect is brought down by two troopers, is it common procedure to zap him with an electric shock to "make sure they have him under control"?

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A Utah Highway Patrol trooper zapped a Mexican transient with a Taser Friday after a brief scuffle along Interstate 15.

Benito Cardoza, 42, was shocked after the trooper attempted to question him about why he was walking south along northbound lanes of the freeway or if he needed help, said Sgt. Ted Tingey, a UHP spokesman.

"The man wanted nothing to do with and kept walking" near the Point of the Mountain about 4:30 p.m., Tingey said.

The trooper reversed his squad car into Cardoza's path and called for backup. When a second trooper arrived, both officers confronted the man.

"As both troopers got out to confront , he got agitated and upset. He became belligerent and wanted to fight," Tingey said.

The two troopers, who UHP has yet to name, physically took Cardoza to the ground.

"To make sure they had him under control, one initiated the Taser on him," Tingey said.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_7674270

[nebenaube]

1. uh..

Let's see walking on the highway.... well I know it's illegal but in most of Utah it's all highway. Are we not supposed to walk on the side, in the opposite direction of traffic flow, so we that can see the cars?

[RedCappedBandit]

2. Cops.. gotta love 'em..

No no! They can't use a tazer inappropriately! They have to experience it for themselves during training! :eyes:

[prole_for_peace]

3. so there was nothing going on anywhere that could be more important

than "questioning" a person walking on the side of the road? and they were so worried about his safety that they got him on the ground and then TAZERED him?


i sure hope no cops around here get worried about me; "don't taze me man"

[countryjake]

4. Can't even walk down the road without being "suspect"...

welcome to Amerika!

[knitter4democracy]

He got upset that they were bothering him, so they took him to the ground?

Then, once on the ground and under control, they tasered him, just to make sure? Why does this story smell funny?

[Canuckistanian]

5. Clearly, he was a danger to cars backing up

Especially those cars that pulled in front of him and reversed.

He got what he deserved.