Man Injures Police Officer Trying To Get Baggie Of Heroin From His Mouth: Cops

EAST HAMPTON, NY — A police officer was injured trying to wrest a baggie of heroin from a man's mouth, police said.

According to East Hampton Town Police, the incident took place on Aug. 22 at 4:03 a.m. at the East Hampton Town Police Department when Jeriel Jose Rivera-Carrero, 33, who had a bag of heroin in his mouth, resisted a police officer's efforts to retrieve it, fighting and struggling with her, causing injury to her right index finger, abrasions and swelling in both arms and both knees.

Her injuries required treatment at Southampton Hospital, police said.

Rivera-Carrero was arrested and charged with second degree assault with intent to cause injury to a police officer, a felony, police said.

He also tried to ingest a small bag containing an off white powdery substance that later tested positive for heroin, with the intent of preventing its use in a criminal action against him, and was charged with tampering with physical evidence in an attempt to conceal or destroy it, a felony, police said.

In addition, Rivera-Carrero was charged with third degree criminal possession of a weapon, previous conviction, a felony, after he was found with a billy club under the driver's seat of his vehicle, police said.

He was also charged with seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor, after the heroin was found, and possession of a hypodermic instrument, a misdemeanor, police said.

Bail was set at $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond, police said.