By Stephen Wall
San Bernardino County Sun
MUSCOY, Calif. — Three firefighters were hospitalized Sunday morning after they were attacked by a 19-year-old man distraught over his mother’s death, officials said.
The firefighters responded to a call of an elderly woman who was not breathing in the 2300 block of North Macy Street.
When they arrived at about 10:30 a.m., family members and a sheriff’s deputy were already performing CPR on the woman, said Tracey Martinez, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
Firefighters continued performing CPR, but the procedure was unsuccessful in resuscitating the 54-year-old woman, whose name was not released.
About 15 minutes later, Nathaniel Taylor arrived at the home and yelled out to his mother, Martinez said.
When Taylor found out she was dead, he “went ballistic,” Martinez said.
The unarmed man started punching, kicking and head-butting one of the firefighters.
When the other firefighters tried to get Taylor off of their colleague, a scuffle ensued.
The men, who were standing outside, fell into a window and shattered the glass.
The deputy used a Taser to subdue Taylor, who was corralled by the three firefighters.
The firefighters were taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center with cuts and bruises.
Taylor was taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, but his injuries were not serious, Martinez said.
The most serious injury was to engineer Ed Keen, who suffered a laceration on the top of the head about 3 inches long and several cuts in the face and under an eye. He was held in the hospital overnight for observation, Martinez said.
Capt. John Schaeffer was cut in the inner arm and had an artery pierced by the glass. Firefighter Mike Fascinato sustained injuries to the back of the head and back. Schaeffer and Fascinato were treated at the hospital and released, Martinez said.
Cindy Beavers, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, said Taylor was arrested and would be booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on suspicion of assault against a public officer.
Beavers and Martinez did not know why Taylor lashed out.
Martinez said she was told that Taylor was “quite a large individual.”
“A lot of times when people are under that type of duress, strength comes out of nowhere,” Martinez said.
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