Man Who Allegedly Caused Elliot ER White Powder Incident Charged

MANCHESTER, NH — A New Hampshire man is facing multiple charges after a domestic violence arrest this morning that led to the contamination of part of an emergency room at a local hospital, according to police. Theodore Macenas, 26, of Manchester, was arrested on Nov. 16, 2017, on domestic violence-simple assault and possession of a controlled drug. He was charged a later in the day with falsifying physical evidence and three counts of possession of a controlled drug.

Editor’s Note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Manchester Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

At just before 4 a.m. this morning, officers were sent to South Willow Street for a report of a possible domestic incident in the parking lot of the McDonald’s Restaurant. Macenas was later arrested and during a pat down, the officers allegedly found 12 Diazepam pills.

“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,” according to Lt. Brian O’Keefe of the Manchester Police Department.

An officer stood by as Macenas was being treated. At around 9:30 a.m., he was reportedly brought into a bathroom when the officer realized he allegedly had drugs concealed in his body.

“The officer struggled with Macenas as he attempted to swallow the unknown powdery substance,” O’Keefe alleged. “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 combative man.”

The officers, a security guard, and several ER staffers were treated for exposure after coming into contact with the unknown substance with “an overabundance of caution” used while treating everyone exposed to the powder, O’Keefe stated. Manchester Fire and Rescue teams were called to the scene to decontaminate the affected areas while the New Hampshire State Laboratory is determining what the powder is, he noted.

According to online reports, Macenas was arrested in Pelham in March 2016, on a dealing/possession prescription drugs charge, according to the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune.

Macenas was arrested in February 2015, in Amherst, on a willful concealment charge, according to a post on Patch. In May 2014, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader, he was charged with felony theft after an incident at Home Depot. In 2011, he was arrested for theft, receiving stolen property, and criminal trespass, the newspaper noted, in Manchester, and theft in Derry, too, according to the Derry News.

Image via Manchester Police.