Naked man tasered, arrested | Napa Valley Register

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Naked man tasered, arrested

Monday, October 26, 2009

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By CARLOS VILLATORO
Register Staff Writer

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A naked man who was allegedly screaming at cars and aggressively approaching vehicles as he ran on Pinewood Avenue went to jail Saturday evening after being tasered by Napa Police officers.

At 5:40 p.m., the Napa Police Department began receiving numerous calls that 18-year-old Anthony Cario Ferrario, of Napa, was running nude along Pinewood Drive and was screaming at passing cars. Ferrario had reportedly pounded on the hood of a parked car, causing substantial damage to the vehicle police said.

When an officer arrived on scene he found Ferrario in the roadway, continuing his strange behavior. Ferrario began advancing towards the officer and bystanders in the area in an aggressive way, with clenched fists, while yelling and screaming according to police.

Police said that Ferrario failed to comply with the officer’s orders to stop and the officer eventually tasered Ferrario in an attempt to subdue him. Ferrario fell to the ground and was taken into custody without further incident.

Officers determined that Ferrario was under the influence of a controlled substance.

After being treated at Queen of the Valley Medical Center for what was described as minor injuries, Ferrario was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and being under the influence of a controlled substance and booked at Napa County Department of Corrections.

83 comment(s)

buddha_bby wrote on Oct 25, 2009 3:28 PM:

" Oh. My. God. "

badheadache wrote on Oct 25, 2009 3:48 PM:

" wonder if they put him in a head lock...now that is some bizarre stuff...i'm sure the folks on Pinewood got quite the show... "

raybo wrote on Oct 25, 2009 4:31 PM:

" I'm guessing the police tasered him because they didn't want to wrestle with a naked man. Can't say I blame them. That brings back visions of Borat. "

napan79 wrote on Oct 25, 2009 4:51 PM:

" Hopefully Anthony Ferrario will get the help he needs to get his life back on track. Also I hope the parents will get him the help he needs and to be supportive of their son. "

busymom wrote on Oct 25, 2009 5:10 PM:

" This is a good family in our community and I am sure they will come out of this in time just fine.

Our prayers are with you Ferrario's. "

QofV63baby wrote on Oct 25, 2009 5:43 PM:

" I heard the age of the boy on the police scanner and immediately spoke w/my son about this. He said that this was completely out of character for this boy. Honor student and a SUPER person. My first thought was that this boy must have been slipped something. Why would a boy with all that he has going for him be acting this way in the middle of the day. This wasn't at 1 am on a Saturday, this was the time of day where most kids are working or hanging out with their friends.
We all make poor choices but I FAIL to believe that this was his choice and I am NOT a naive parent, my children aren't angels and I don't pretend that they are..
All my best to Anthony and his parents and grandparents, they are all true blue folks that will be very supportive of this child and I pray that our courts show empathy for what truly is not the character of this child.
Please note, I have never met this boy, but if my child says he's good, HE'S GREAT! "

faziggyzoink wrote on Oct 25, 2009 5:43 PM:

" I saw this happen! My friend and I were driving down the street and this naked dude was jogging and screaming and completely out of control. We pulled over and saw the police pull up, the tasing the whole thing. It was nuts! Felt like I was in an episode of cops. Not something you see in Napa. I was very glad I didn't have my kids w/me! He approaced my car and yelled some crazy stuff and grabbed himself.....crazy! I don't know what he was on but he was definitley having a bad trip! I feel for the parents. The cops had no choice but to tase him, but I saw him go down on his face on the concrete and I'm sure he is hurting every where today! Very sad and a little scary. "

Cowboy wrote on Oct 25, 2009 5:58 PM:

" A Taser should be used in lieu of deadly force, as what would the officer have done without having a Taser available...???

Tasers are now the new cop toy for street justice, so cops don't have to get their hands dirty.

Officers still train for hand-to-hand with unarmed combatants, but with a Taser they won't risk breaking a fingernail.

The litmus test for Taser use should be: "Would I have shot the perp with a gun if I didn't have the Taser?"

And liberals call waterboarding "torture". Haaaaaa..... "

JustMyyOpinion wrote on Oct 25, 2009 6:11 PM:

" Raybo, he was tasered because he was approaching the officer/s in an aggressive manor and not responding to their commands. Clearly he was on something if he's the upstanding citizen that folks are claiming he is.

Really weird and I'm just as glad I didn't see this! "

TeriLyn1980 wrote on Oct 25, 2009 6:15 PM:

" It is insensitive of anyone to place blame and judgment, especially directly to the parents of Anthony who are probably scared and heartbroken for their son. This family needs support from the community, family, and friends. Through my children, I have personally witness this family’s involvement with kids through our community for a number of years. They have earned and deserved unconditional support, love and prayers. Remember this can happen to any family. I pray if anyone has a family crisis splash in the newspaper for all your family and friends to read, you receive support and not judgment.

Our prayers are with you Ferrario's. "

CaptnLee01 wrote on Oct 25, 2009 6:26 PM:

" Cowboy, would the police officer have to get in close contact and risk serious physical injury to both police officers and the suspect, or minor injury. Come on use your head do you want broken bones or some momentary paralysis. And they are not gonna tazer some one for the hell of it. You gotta be pretty out of control to get tazered. "

alixzander wrote on Oct 25, 2009 6:32 PM:

" shame on the Napa PD for using the taser! its consider a torture device by the united nations! he could have been killed by the shock due to the substance use! "

MGMasters wrote on Oct 25, 2009 6:36 PM:

" Let me add that I hope that thus incident will put him on a secure road to recovery.

I wish all of the Ferrarios luck. "

Little Lord Fauntleroy wrote on Oct 25, 2009 7:04 PM:

" A typical day in Napa. "

steph wrote on Oct 25, 2009 7:42 PM:

" My thoughts and prayers are with the Ferrarios. It's true--they're good people. "

Two Cents wrote on Oct 25, 2009 7:58 PM:

" Wow! Im amazed at some of the absolutely insensitive and hurtful comments people dont think twice about posting. Do you not consider the probability that his parents are reading your words?
Did it occur to anyone that this kid may have been slipped something in his drink? Completely unknowing to him and out of his control?
Did you ever consider his safety and what could have happened to him while in this state?
I know these people well. They are a great family and very involved with their kids.
They deserve the support of their community, which they give back to everyday in their jobs.
My prayers and thoughts go out to the Ferrario family, especially Anthony, who will have to suffer the ruthlessness of peoples words, on top of what will already be a rough road ahead. "

walktothepark wrote on Oct 25, 2009 8:07 PM:

" Using the taser was a bit excessive... especially if they thought he was on drugs. Tasering someone on drugs is especially dangerous and can be lethal. Two or three officers should have been been able to take hold of a naked 18 year old. What if they didn't have a taser? Would they have shot him? I don't think so. "

ysoserious wrote on Oct 25, 2009 8:11 PM:

" My thoughts and prayers are with the Police officers and victems of Ferrarios. It's true, all the officers and victims are good people

see what i did there? "

psychochik wrote on Oct 25, 2009 8:20 PM:

" Alixzander, would you rather the police shoot him ?!? They used the taser so they didnt have to kill him.

If youve never dealt with a person high on amphetamines or any kind of stimulant you know that it takes more than yealling stop to get them calmed. This guy sounds like he was high on something that rendered him a danger to everyone around him. I'm glad they used the taser instead of shooting him. "

jeepracer10 wrote on Oct 25, 2009 8:39 PM:

" To all the bloggers that dont support the police. Tasers are not used in deadly force situations. Most PD's have the Taser on the same scale as a baton, which is is below deadly force. Tasers do not kill people, but excited delirium does. Excited delirium is when someone is high on a drug and their body cant tolerate the drugs effects. People in this situation can even die after fighting and/or running. There was an episode of cops where a man on PCP picked up a fridge above his head and threw it at the cops. This same man was hit by a boton numerous times which broke several bones and he wasnt even slowed down. Another episode showed a man on PCP bite through handcuffs and remove them. Give NPD a break. "

yoyo wrote on Oct 25, 2009 8:44 PM:

" dying to know more about this. What kind of drug was he on? someone has got to know something? I hope he will be okay, too bad he is in jail though, he is probably a wreck and very confused. "

steph wrote on Oct 25, 2009 9:10 PM:

" You are right, ysoserious. We're both right. "

blackpony wrote on Oct 25, 2009 10:00 PM:

" sounds like my friday nights!! "

shareathought wrote on Oct 25, 2009 10:29 PM:

" We need to know more; the Taser hits the person with an electrical current, which, interferes with the body's neuromuscular system.

walktothepark (10/25, 8:07PM) wrote:
“Tasering someone on drugs is especially dangerous and can be lethal.”

According to “Emergency Medicine Australasia” walktothepark is correct. There are many side effects or possible side effects…

“The possibility of inducing cardiac arrhythmias”
“Excited delirium: the risk of sudden death is tasering of drug users and those who have exhibited extreme physical exertion.”

http://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2009/07/24/tasers-what-are-the-health-implications/

With the new weapons available to use on our citizenry, there is a push by a/the Taser company to make these available and legal to anyone for "self-defense".

“THE manufacturer of the Taser stun gun is sparking new controversy with the commercial launch of a long-range version that can be fired from a 12-bore shotgun.”

“A team … at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, found that some of the … cartridges that Taser supplied for testing last year were capable of delivering an electric shock for more than 5 minutes, rather than the 20 seconds of shocking current they are supposed to generate.”
“…Taser did ship some pre-production batches to US police departments.”

August 26, 2009
http://www.infiniteunknown.net/2009/08/27/long-range-taser-found-to-be-a-health-risk-on-the-receiving-end/

“Earlier this month, the Arizona-based manufacturer warned Taser jolts to the chest could be linked to cardiac arrest or other medical conditions.”

“The warning states eliminating chest shots ''avoids the controversy about whether [electronic control devices] do or do not affect the human heart.''

The Morning Call October 20, 2009
http://www.mcall.com/news/all-a5_4taser.7056804oct20,0,4286065.story "

Viola wrote on Oct 25, 2009 10:44 PM:

" Unfortunately, this behavior is caused by substances that are not foreign to many of Napa's bright kids. It's time for parents and community members to wake up to the reality that our kids are abusing drugs and alcohol is ways that are harming their futures. We've got talented and smart people in this valley with resources that could be put to good use. Let's figure this out, so more kids can live up to their potentials. Anthony's a good kid; most of the youth here are. They are, though, finding themselves in spirals that are difficult to get out of. "

carno75 wrote on Oct 25, 2009 10:50 PM:

" Is it possible he wasn't on any drugs and was just in a manic state? mania will make people literally climb walls and do things out of the ordinary...sad that its always assumed drugs are the culprit "

alixzander wrote on Oct 25, 2009 11:19 PM:

" psychochik,
using a taser in this circumstance could have been just as lethal as using a gun. i would have preferred that they restrain him through a non-lethal method. "

happyday wrote on Oct 26, 2009 12:29 AM:

" Having worked in the behavioral medicine field, I've seen this kind of behavior in individuals who had NOT been using any kind of controlled substance. Sometimes serious medical conditions can cause unusual and uncharacteristic behavior. Sure, it's possible that controlled substances were involved, but that's yet to be determined.
Whatever the cause, I hope he gets the help he needs and gets his life back on track. My heart goes out to his family. "

ambonizay wrote on Oct 26, 2009 6:05 AM:

" The naked man was probably just cold since he was naked. He just forgot to put on clothes before locking himself out of the house. Have you ever been cold when you were butt naked? "

ambonizay wrote on Oct 26, 2009 6:12 AM:

" Someone throw that naked man a fig leaf. "

bryanpoli wrote on Oct 26, 2009 6:55 AM:

" Sounds like a protest against Dupont and synthetic fabrics. Give the kid some hemp underwear and a bicycle.

See you in San Francisco "

Napagrrl wrote on Oct 26, 2009 8:37 AM:

" I have to agree with Viola regarding the use of drugs and alcohol by our kids. Parents, I implore each of you to talk to your teens about the parties they'll be attending this weekend. Ask if parents will be in attendance and visible. Ask if there will be drugs or drinking. (Your kids already know the answer!) Ask for an address and a landline number for those who will ultimately be responsible (the parents - who, by the way, probably will not be around.) And when your kids says, "Don't you trust me?" be brave enough to say "no" and explain why. Some of these kids think they are so strong and can overcome any situation they land in, but they're wrong. Parents, 16 and 17 is not old ENOUGH to handle a scary situation - especially if the kids involved are under the influence of something. And how is your non-drinker or non-drugger going to be able to fend off someone fueled by an illegal substance? Or fend off more than one person? Please don't just hope nothing happens. Bad things do happen. Talk to your child! "

what the wrote on Oct 26, 2009 8:57 AM:

" Napa PD obviously need more training. Tasering a defenseless man just because he is out of his mind is just plain lazy and shameful. "

shareathought wrote on Oct 26, 2009 9:13 AM:

" It is unfortunate that this young person's incident has been shared with the rest of the community. Many have made interesting comments; we can all learn.

“put him on a secure road to recovery”

How do we know he is ill?

“they're good people”

And these kinds of things shouldn’t happen to “bad” people either.

“Did it occur to anyone that this kid may have been slipped something in his drink”

“Is it possible he wasn't on any drugs and was just in a manic state?
sad that its always assumed drugs are the culprit”

“that's yet to be determined”

“i would have preferred that they... [physically restrained him].”

“If it can happen to this family it can happen to anyone's family.”

Happyday; my thoughts are similar to yours…
Severe reactions to toxins, in our environment (either naturally occurring or man-made), are a possibility (remember our historic witch hunts?). We have just had rains followed by warm sunny weather; fungi, molds and moss’ have been growing. Some can be ingested when attached to other plants then, cause a physiological reaction. It is also possible a medical condition he was unaware of __ things such as (God forbid), a head injury, stroke, or a tumor emerged. Let is pray it is a one-time reaction (and neither a head trauma nor a mental illness), and that his body is able to cleanse itself. "

cheezcakemaker wrote on Oct 26, 2009 9:16 AM:

" So, pot never caused anyone do anything stupid?

Lets open fifty medical maryjane dispensaries here in Napa so we can read more of these stories!! "

faziggyzoink wrote on Oct 26, 2009 10:05 AM:

" Wow! I can't believe how many of you think we have been attacking the boy and the parents and the family!!! I just read thru everything and NO ONE has said anything about bad parenting!!! Give me a break! I was there! The boy came up to my car and I saw up close and personal what was happening. I saw the police arrive and how the boy reacted....they had to tase him! I assume he was on drugs, thats what it looked like to me, someone who has done them before, hemay have had a bad trip. Or if it was a mental issue, don't know, the point is that it happened and nobody that was there was safe! I have my own children and understand they will make mistakes and also that they have to be responsible for their choices. Lets not be to quick to forget that if this boy did decide to experiment, he need's to be held accountable. Good families have problems too, nobody is judging that. Let me just say, what he said to me and how he approched my car, the foul langauage that came out of his mouth, this is no innocent child....he is 18, we were not all saints at 18, don't be naive. "

Twocentsguy wrote on Oct 26, 2009 10:19 AM:

" Give the guy a break until we hear his story. Because he was so young it could have been a number of things, someone slipped him something, or maybe...just maybe, someone pulled a prank on him and stole his clothes and locked him out. Who knows? "

caligrown707 wrote on Oct 26, 2009 10:33 AM:

" cheezcakemaker- where in the article did it say marijuana had anything to do with this? this is not a typical effect of marijuana ingestion. you don't sound like you know very much about marijuana and how it works. maybe if you did, not only would you never have posted that comment, but you wouldn't feel the way you do about the dispensaries. this sounds like either a mental illness or a hardcore drug; not marijuana. medical marijuana dispensaries provide safe, clean marijuana that has been inspected unlike street dealers with marijuana that could be laced with other drugs that might make a person do this. if anything, pot dispensaries in napa would lower the number of stories like this in the paper. get your facts straight and stop bringing your anti-marijuana propaganda where it doesnt belong. there was no reason to bring that up in this story. it doesnt once mention marijuana. "

firststreetmayor wrote on Oct 26, 2009 10:35 AM:

" Don't bash what you don't understand

cheezcakemaker wrote on Oct 26, 2009 9:16 AM:
" So, pot never caused anyone do anything stupid?

Lets open fifty medical maryjane dispensaries here in Napa so we can read more of these stories!! "

Controlled substance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A controlled substance is generally a drug or chemical whose manufacture, possession, and use are regulated by a government. This may include illegal drugs ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_substance - Cached - Similar "

selim wrote on Oct 26, 2009 10:36 AM:

" Good lord, lay off the police. When they encounter a naked guy beating on cars, they don't know *what* the dude is on, although naked + aggression usually means meth or PCP. If the fellow is on either of those, the taser is the LEAST HARMFUL alternative. Wrestling the guy can lead to a number of possible injuries for both parties, and if the perp breaks something in his (possible) drug-fueled resistance, then we're talking lawsuit against the cops for "unnecessary force".

So as opposed to being covered with bruises and possibly getting a broken bone or three, the perp now just has two little spots where the taser hit him. Everybody lived, nobody got too hurt. Now, is that better or worse than being wrestled to the ground by three cops?

And no, cheezcakemaker, pot never caused anyone to do anything THIS stupid. The most harmful thing pot makes you do is eat Jack In The Box at 2 in the morning. "

vocal-de-local wrote on Oct 26, 2009 10:51 AM:

" happyday, you are absolutely correct. For many years, I studied the types of medical conditions which lead to neuropsychiatric conditions. Far too often, once "brain" becomes involved, we tend to not search for medical causes. We just throw it into a "psychiatric" category and walk away.

Psychiatric conditions exist which can sometimes be fixed with a certain vitamin which is needed to catalyze certain enzyme reactions. It takes a lot of searching to make the connection though. Unfortunately, so many of these psychiatric cases just become thrown away people.

This young man needs a thorough workup once it is proven that he wasn't overdosing on illegal drugs. One of the first things that I would do would be to get an MRI of the brain, check the thyroid gland to make certain that hyperthyroidism isn't involved, calcium levels etc. If this young man tends to go into these episodes, try getting blood work done during an episode.

I mention this because my older son has gone into hyperthyroidism before. He becomes somewhat agitated from it. He has never gotten to the point of running around naked though. I just don't know what I'd do if that happened! But he did end out in the emergency room, when he was in his late teens, from cardiac involvement. And I will say this: smoking pot set it all in motion. If a person already has a pre-existing medical condition, drugs CAN magnify it. "

109823 wrote on Oct 26, 2009 12:42 PM:

" I love the bleeding hearts that criticize the police for their actions. If you were in a situation where there was an individual that was coming towards you in a threatening manner and obviously out of their normal mind you would fear for your life. At that point I'm sure you would want a police officer to do whatever it took to subdue the assailant. Until you're in that position and choose to let it play out in a nonaggressive approach let the police handle these encounters as they are trained. "

cheezcakemaker wrote on Oct 26, 2009 12:45 PM:

" LOL!

Caligrown 707 says: "you don't sound like you know very much about marijuana and how it works. maybe if you did, not only would you never have posted that comment, but you wouldn't feel the way you do about the dispensaries."

Selim says: "And no, cheezcakemaker, pot never caused anyone to do anything THIS stupid. The most harmful thing pot makes you do is eat Jack In The Box at 2 in the morning"

How would ya'll know?

Oh well, medical maryjane is just even more job security for law enforcement. "

cheezcakemaker wrote on Oct 26, 2009 12:52 PM:

" Caligrown707 says: "if anything, pot dispensaries in napa would lower the number of stories like this in the paper. get your facts straight..."

Really?

Oblige us all then and provide some statistics that crime would be reduced with "legal" drug sales of controlled substances.

Maybe we should decriminalize driving under the influence while we are at it.

Maybe too much of the cali grown has gone up in smoke... "

vwcamp77 wrote on Oct 26, 2009 1:32 PM:

" Cheezcakemaker, you're very uninformed. Alcohol is what makes you do things like think you're able to drive, when you can't see or walk straight. It causes a horrible addiction that ruins peoples lives and familys. Millions of people suffer every year from alcohol related deaths. It's a good thing we don't have any legal alcohol dispensaries...oh yeah, they're called LIQUOR STORES.

And I too know this family, they are wonderful people who will show their son and grandson love and compassion through this. "

ohmynapa wrote on Oct 26, 2009 1:36 PM:

" I have known the family for years. Please do not judge. This is an amazing family with beautiful, wonderful children. This child and family is suffering and our community should be supportive of them. You ahev no idea how they have maybe helped you in the past or possibly the future. I and many others that know them personally stand behind them in a time of need! To the entire Ferrario Family- WE LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU! "

ctworker wrote on Oct 26, 2009 2:45 PM:

" for all those questioning the PD's training or judgement, all I have to say is that it sounds like their training kicked in and they did as they are trained to do. If somebody is approaching you obviously not in control and has been beating on vehicles etc... they are a direct threat to themselves and to everyone around them, including, the officers. Temporary paralysis is the safest thing for everyone involved. It keeps the person from doing any harm to anybody around them, and just as important, keeps them from doing any harm to themsleves. A baton blow to an arm or leg can be very destructive (broken bones). I would assume that if the police tried to subdue this poor young man with batons in a hand to hand situation, and there were injuries incurred, then the same people that are questioning the use of the taser would be questioning why the police DIDN'T use their tasers. I applaud the police for the discretion that they apparently used in this situation.

As for the young man and his family, I hope that whatever issue caused this can be quickly discovered and taken care of and the healing can begin. "

adoptednapa wrote on Oct 26, 2009 2:46 PM:

" Don't sweat the guy if he wants to go "Will Ferrell" down the street. If nobody was hurt all is good. "

Froggie1559 wrote on Oct 26, 2009 3:01 PM:

" To Anthony and his family: I'm so sorry this has happened, but you're good and strong people, you'll get through it. Take care. "

trixiebaron wrote on Oct 26, 2009 3:21 PM:

" Well my thoughts are with the family, it sounds like a young cop dieing to use it, but if he would of tased him in the wrong area...the kid could of gotten parlized or brain dead..and the Napa PD would of got sued big time..The kid did not even have a weapon, i am sure you could of done it without a taser...watch the news. pretty soon you will not be able to use them...people being shoot by taser from cops, i already know one parlized from the neck down..but that does not go on the news..because the police shot him in the wrong area..but that's under secret.. "

napavalley35 wrote on Oct 26, 2009 3:27 PM:

" I had the unfortunate experience of walking right next to his man with my two kids. He was chanting I am god, I am god. Luckly I was right by my house and ran in and locked the doors. He was acting very aggressive. I did for a split second think what I would do if he ran at me. The cops did the right thing they should not come anywhere near that man, he was obviously having some type of episode, whether self induced or not. Judging these police officers is a mistake, you commenters that were not there have no idea how he was acting, very scary. "

Willdizzle wrote on Oct 26, 2009 3:29 PM:

" that stinks for Ferrerio best wishes for him and his family Italian class Period 3 "

tiredofcomplainingnapkins wrote on Oct 26, 2009 3:33 PM:

" To cheezecakemaker,

You asked how caligrown and selom know the affects of marijuana? Well what do you know about the effects? And how did you come to that conclusion? Also whats statistics do you have to prove that a cannabis club would mean more job security for law enforcement? A CVS pharmacy opened recently on Imola with way more dangerous and addicting drugs then marijuana, I have yet to see a problem there? Please show your facts to back up your opinion "

jimihil wrote on Oct 26, 2009 3:36 PM:

" One has to actually experience having a child or loved one have an "espisode" or harm someone to understand how awful it feels and how it affects an entire family (siblings, parents, cousins, grandparents et al). It is despicable for arm chair quarterbacks sit back and comment on how this person basically got what he deserverd. The police did their job- cut them some slack- there was a time not long ago when nightsticks or pistols would have been used to subdue someone who was acting irrational and threatening. They also have families and need to keep themselves safe. The boy clearly needs help. Thankfully, no one was seriously harmed which was nothing more than luck. Soapbox time: How many people reading this article consider themselves Christians? The compassion and charity that Christ exemplified certainly is not apparent with many of these readers. For crying out loud, give this young person and his family a break and show some decency by not rushing to judgement. "

srsly wrote on Oct 26, 2009 4:31 PM:

" Really, trixiebaron, you were there and know exactly the age of the cop and what he was thinking? Remarkable. /sarcasm

I hope this boy got some help with whatever was going on Saturday night.

Kudos to the police for their actions! "

rickw wrote on Oct 26, 2009 4:42 PM:

" to all who want to criticize the Napa PD for using a taser:
Why don't you call the PD and give them your number, so they can call you to wrestle the next naked man who is either on drugs or for some other reason acting erratic and aggressive. "

winewoman wrote on Oct 26, 2009 5:58 PM:

" Are you people serious? Your tongue clucking can be heard in the next county, and the rest of the country is looking for their soapboxes which have mysteriously accumulated in Napa. Leave this family alone. Leave them their dignity. Perhaps some measure of privacy.

Speaking of privacy, there are a couple of posts here that are invasive - and could damage the individual and the family should this issue get into the legal system. Please be careful what you say and what information you share about people. Your words have a long life in the electronic world.

Which leads me to ask the question as to why comments are allowed in some articles. Really, there are some news stories that don't require commentary. Other newspapers limit comments/posts to some articles. Please, NVR, consider it. There have been several stories recently where readers comments have caused pain to the families of those involved. "

tiredofcomplainingnapkins wrote on Oct 26, 2009 6:22 PM:

" To cheezecakemakers,

Banks are robbed all the time but we still allow those to open, Liquor stores are robbed we allow those, stores are robbed we allow those, houses are robbed and we still live in those. Anything can be robbed, thats not a reason to keep something from being opened. "

blundc wrote on Oct 26, 2009 6:41 PM:

" i agree with winewoman. I am a good friend of anthonys and seeing some of these comments really make me sick.. none of you really know the whole story, and since you don't just keep your opinions to yourself. "

NapaMom wrote on Oct 26, 2009 8:23 PM:

" I do not know this family but my thoughts and prayers are with you in this time of need. If he was on something I am sure this will be a eye opening moment for him. "

caligrown707 wrote on Oct 26, 2009 8:28 PM:

" in response to cheezemakers and others- i work a lot and have class, so i don't have much time to post these days. sorry for the late response.

anyway, there is simply no convincing reefer madness victims like cheezemaker, so I will not be putting a lot of time or effort into the debate; not to mention, one of the entire reasons i posted that post was to keep this exact thing from happening. there was no need for this to turn into a forum on the legalization of marijuana.

cheezemaker, read what i wrote, don't put words in my mouth. I said that if anything, it would reduce the number of stories like this in the paper; meaning that there is a greater likelihood that stories like these would occur less often rather than more often as you claimed. I provided a reason as to why: that being that medical marijuana in a dispensary has been inspected. in many dispensaries they even know whether the product was grown indoor, outdoor, in a greenhouse (it all makes a difference) and whether it was grown organically or not. many tell you which strands to use for different symptoms. Marijuana has been shown in study after study to be safe for medical use and even recreational use, but that is a different debate which I am not going to get into. The point is that on the streets you never know what you are going to get from a dealer. there is a much greater likelihood of marijuana being laced with something that could bring about symptoms like these. I have proposed numerous times that napa follow the dispensary guidelines of BPG with a security fence and security force team present at all times. and it is discreet. "

caligrown707 wrote on Oct 26, 2009 8:33 PM:

" cheezemakers- how many times has walmart been robbed since it opened in napa and AC? how many bank robberies have occured in napa over the past year alone (I worked at a bank until last year. trust me, there are A LOT that never make the papers.....)? ok now how many pot clubs have been robbed? none. should we close all the banks and the walmarts? so your problem lies in the fact that the product being sold is marijuana.....now we get to the root of the problem. you have been misinformed for years about that....thats a whole other discussion, though. "

jmo wrote on Oct 26, 2009 9:39 PM:

" Hey not going to read all the previous posts...the dud needed/deserved to be tased and then should have been sent to the state hospitalfor a three day lock downevaluation! "

SourPatchKid93 wrote on Oct 26, 2009 11:07 PM:

" All I honestly wanted to do was come on here and read what had happened to Anthony. But instead I got more distracted by what all you "Napkins" had to say. You all have proven that this town can't go one day without drama! Many of you are nice enough to give your condolences to the Ferrario family. Others are just in it for the commenting to BADGER each other with nasty words!

cheezecakemaker- You honestly, in MY opinion, don't know what you are talking about. I am all for caligrown707. S/he obviously knows what they are talking about. Cheezemaker, all you have done is badger everyone on here about how you think drugs are wrong. We all have our own opinions, obviously you have no experience in the drug department. So please stick to what you know.

I have a heart out to the family, best wishes to Anthony. "

reason-ator wrote on Oct 27, 2009 1:58 AM:

" I feel badly for everyone involved { in real-life, not in the brave world of BlogNVR } in this situation. Both for the cops and the naked guy, and as a consequence, perhaps their families, loved ones, and all the people who may have had to deal with it.

But one thing I'm reminded of- the dignity and class that many posters here convey or display can often significantly affect the receptiveness of people when they read ( and not hear ) the message.

I know I'm not one to talk ( I get frustrated sometimes with the broad spectrum of intelligence and the sometimes resultant poorly conceived attitudes, and some people take it personally when I do- duh ! ), and I apologize.

But it's nice to deal with facts.

If NPD hadn't stopped this guy and he had instead run into the streeet and been hit by a car, there are people who would be criticizing NPD for not tasering the poor guy so they could restrain him and protect him from hurting himself. I think that there are some people who would criticize NPD either way, no matter what they had done.

I can be highly critical and cynical about some of Law Enforcements tactics sometimes, but not here. They didn't have the hindsight yet.

This was going to be a No-Win situation, judging from the sound of it, and I hope our cops aren't extensively trained in wrestling with naked suspects. Although, given the right set of circumstances, it wouldn't necessarily have to be unpleasant....... "

napahawaiinapa wrote on Oct 27, 2009 3:41 AM:

" I am so sick of drugs and alcohol. This is the evil that must stop. We are all in this together so all need to get together and stick together, to end the unnecessary trauma we are suffering and it all starts with money..yes-money for drugs, people selling drugs cuz they need money..money is the object thought of when being a drug dealer..save money on alcohol; more expensive..stronger addiction..gets stronger, costs more. This behavior suggests drug-induced psychosis and if anything, Anthony, u alone can help kids who think it's cool, when your smart enough to know how bad it is. Don't let some poison ruin a good thing in your brain, cuz it will, that's a fact and a promise. I hear you are very smart and a truly good person. Drugs will make you ignorant and an angry human. This type of drug reaction needs to be examined closely by all of us. This isn't funny at all. Humiliating, sure, but think how your brain and nervous system must have felt..Overwhelmed, which will stop function in ur body for good. As parents, we need to have knowledge ourselves, to educate at home cuz something's not working. The best thing Anthony can do is become a 'leader of evidence', now, in telling others the feeling, from the start, what's the attraction, how it makes you feel an hour later, did you think it would make u more fun to hang with? What is it that you liked, and do you remember losing control before really losing control?, tell how you feel now..Please don't laugh about it with your friends, even though it may seem ok cuz ur not naked, u know, then kick back & think about what you are worth, how much u love ur family... "

napahawaiinapa wrote on Oct 27, 2009 6:14 AM:

" SourPatchKid93: You are acknowledging and admitting here in front of many people that you believe drugs are right? That is the opposite of wrong, right? It doesn't deserve an opinion...a fact is a fact..I do have experience in every field of drug use and YES---it is wrong in every sense of the word...I would certainly never defend a drug of any kind...I learn the hard way, and withdrawal the hard way, almost to death one time. So, no matter how you look at it, what your or my 'opinion' is, it's cut-n-dry. Our bodies do not allow us to try something, like it, do it once in a while, if necessary, and that's that...wrong completely...if a person is addicted to cigarettes, they can become addicted to anything. I have never been an alcoholic but know first hand, because of my addictive nature, I would be beginning-stage alcoholic by day 4 of my initial drink. Most cannot believe that I am still surviving as one of the living (don't feel like it usually) with the amount of ....I did, for years. I am not a partier so it was all an isolated trap-like, tunnel, a dead end..and that's what drugs are...the Beginning of the End...You should know that if you've taken any drug at all. If you notice something change in your head, your attitude is more pleasant, which makes you fun to be around, and you are enjoying urself, laughing with whomever you're visiting...sounds just lovely...those same people are laughing but one of them is alcoholic..his/her laugh is more of a fake 'cover the tears that are dying to come up because she/he cannot stand that others can drink that night, say goodnight and stop; she can't stop. It is not funny, and is too serious to take lightly....' "

mmolin wrote on Oct 27, 2009 9:55 AM:

" the ONLY thing anyone should care about is that everyone involved in this situation is okay and the only thing we can do is pray/hope that this will be resolved. this article is the talk of not only my high school but all around napa. an experiment of something turned into a nightmare. NO ONE can judge and the fact that all of you are posting unnecessary comments is sad. seeing all these comments makes me feel sorry for anyone who has to read all this trash you guys are posting about the cannabis clubs, the cops, drugs, alcohol. WHO CARES? yes there is freedom of speech and everything but the last time i checked this is not a blog or journal. i am not saying you do not have a right to your opinion but this article went from a student i know making a mistake and it being in the newspaper/all over napa with posted comments saying "good luck to the family, wishing the best" to- "i'm sick of drugs and alcohol; you don't know what drugs are like, etc". post your opinions somewhere else, comments are for this article, not for your personal use. what happened, happened. its over with and i hope the best for the ferrario family, especially anthony because he is an awesome person that got caught up in the wrong thing, the cops that have to deal with criticism for what they thought was right, and anyone that affected by this. "

Detritus wrote on Oct 27, 2009 9:57 AM:

" They tazed God? That can't be good. "

yahurd707 wrote on Oct 27, 2009 10:05 AM:

" napahawaiinapa seriously? sourpatchkid never oked anything and just because you have seem to taken more drugs than him DOES NOT mean you know more than anyone else here. yea you may have more EXPIERENCE but nobody cares because this is about Anthony Ferrario if anyone feels the need to blog about there DRUG PROBLEMS then maybe you should google blogging online and take your negative comments with you. "

shareathought wrote on Oct 27, 2009 10:41 AM:

" Several posters complained that others criticized the NPD too much; of near 70 postings less-than a half-dozen were complaints.

Some have legitimate concerns that those having an out-of-control episode (perhaps, a once-in-a-lifetime ingestion/reaction to something such as PCP), might not recover from the effects or combination of effects if tasered.

It is a real dilemma (granted, tasing and recovery is better then deceased).

More have shown support of the officers involved believing they did their job.

If this young person has finished high school (and does not have a physiological need that prevents it), I would suggest he get away from this community, friends and even family for a while and into something completely different that will keep him busy such as AmeriCorps.

Otherwise, Godspeed. "

trixiebaron wrote on Oct 27, 2009 1:08 PM:

" srsly....No i was not there, if you read what i said, it said it sounds like one..atleast that's who broke my door for no reason at all...they sure fixed it within a hour..the older PD have a little more class and respect..would you of liked to get tased and then parlized for life cause there aim was off??? that's a true story, its not a joke "

cagirl wrote on Oct 27, 2009 2:45 PM:

" First of all, I would like to offer my sincere concern for Anthony and his family--No, I do not know these people at all. However, I had a child who developed very serious alcohol and drugs issues while growing up in Napa. Other parents felt I was too "tough" on my child, however they did not realize the extent of the problems/addictions. Obviously, as a parent I was not going to share my family's personal struggles with this child. This period of time was the very worst time of my life--I felt misunderstood, judged, and then ultimately, condemned because of my child's behavior. For those of you who have not experienced the heartbreak that addiction causes, you have no idea of the pain and suffering the entire family endures. To Anthony's family--be safe; try to remain sane; ignore the insensitivity and ignorance of those around you; and realize most of all, you will pull through this. There are some very good support systems in the Valley for those who choose to utilize them--Good luck to you and remember that this, too, will pass "

breanta wrote on Oct 27, 2009 6:36 PM:

" I feel so bad for Anthony, I love that kid. I hope he gets let off somewhat easily and learns from this because we all know he has so much potential and he isn't living up to it. He makes his own decisions and sometimes they aren't the smartest, but we all make mistakes and I hope he comes out of this a better person. :( "

napahawaiinapa wrote on Oct 28, 2009 3:51 AM:

" Yahurd707...I haven't taken too many drugs..too many for my liking but not too many...still here, but wish I never touched even one..I didn't have to be humiliated, I humiliated myself just being inside myself, knowing I was on a drug...this is about Anthony, and it is about drugs, or shall we talk about streaking? No, cuz this wasn't about streaking..and it IS about drugs...I didn't know there were positive things to say about drugs so I don't think this comment issue is where I can be honestly happy and positive..Anthony could have taken his last breath that evening so it is pretty serious, wouldn't you say? and you will not see many positive words on this entire comment issue. I apologize to sourpatchkid if I misunderstood or mistook his statement; I do apologize. Anyway, there is nothing more to say..just for the family to keep their relationship tight and this experience will be a day in the life of Anthony's 18th year..with successful years to follow...that's positive yahurd..otherwise, sorry but accidental death holds a negative tune in my stereo system. When I suggest that Anthony speak out, to teach others before it's too late for them, that shouldn't be made out a bad thing, that Anthony sees...that makes it seems just 'one of those things' that happens..it's not just one of those things so please don't give mixed signals to an 18 year old... keeping an open forum whenever we speak about serious subjects --drugs, alcohol, ruthless or thoughtless people, should always be for learning and growing..it's not even a personal thing..we all deserve the same in life...the best; whether we get it or not is our own business. Comments from myself are from within a thoughtful heart so I do not judge... "

ambonizay wrote on Oct 28, 2009 9:42 AM:

" Any update on the butt naked man? He was just celebrating an early birthday in his birthday suit. "

JustAnotherManicMonday wrote on Oct 28, 2009 9:48 AM:

" Vocal-de-Local - Thanks for the info on your son on hyperthyroidism! I wish we had a true mesage board so I could send you a message!

I myself have an autoimmune form of Hyperthyroidism called "Graves Disease" which was some pretty wierd symtoms - like the hyperthyroidism, and also involving eye bulging (like Rodney Dangerfield)odd skin bumps. There is a "thyroid storm" where one can have a high temperature, heart palpitations, end up in the ER and even die (running around naked, sweating, looking like on drugs could fit right in).This teen's symptoms could be this, or I was thinking an onset of schizophrenia. I haven't hear of pot bringing on this hyperthyroid episode. Dental work can cause it (novacaine), any stimulant - meth, cocaine, energy drinks with taurine are VERY dangerous. Basically anything that would speed up your heart would not be good. Maybe there's a new form of marijuana at those pot clubs that "wakes up" people instead of putting them to sleep? If so that is very dangerous.

Hopefully this teen gets the medical treatment or intervention, whichever he needs. At times like this, I'd wish that the name was not sent out in the newspaper to give the family some privacy.

"I mention this because my older son has gone into hyperthyroidism before. He becomes somewhat agitated...end out in the emergency room, when he was in his late teens, from cardiac involvement. And I will say this: smoking pot set it all in motion. If a person already has a pre-existing medical condition, drugs CAN magnify it." "

flyingmanateegirl wrote on Oct 28, 2009 10:52 PM:

" Drama, drama, drama... "

napahawaiinapa wrote on Oct 29, 2009 12:37 AM:

" mmolin...what happened is not over, FYI, and to shut everyone down for their concern and perhaps suggestions to better a situation is frankly unbelievable. Your message was long but I was able to read it without getting angry, or let myself be set off mad and disgusted...some comments are unnecessary but that's why they are called 'comments' - opinions from human beings..that's what they are.. No one has to read them...free country...if I need to type the words, "I'm sick of drugs and alcohol", then I can freely do that..do you realize that there are people out there who read these comments, and they actually learn something very useful for themselves or someone close to them...that's one reason not to complain about too many comments, or the contents of the comments...it's for all of us, not just the select. I don't know what a blog is and I'm not on here to blog, use the restroom, or to make someone mad. It is what it is...you stated that Anthony got 'caught up in the wrong thing"..I really hope you know how serious 'the wrong thing', as u call it, it is and will continue to be should a change not take place in his life..I pray for he and his family too..I don't know them but I do know that everyone deserves support and love whoever they happen to be. Take care!! "

shareathought wrote on Nov 1, 2009 12:53 PM:

" The day after the "Man Tasered" story was published with the NVR, an interesting program was aired on PBS. The program was called "The Botany of Desire". How it relates to the above article is that scientists let us know they are only now unlocking information regarding the brain, some of its workings and the human's reaction to plants. This includes things we desire for taste (sweet), see (flowers), change of consciousness (tea, coffee, alcohol and other drugs), or need (nourishment).
Opinions are interesting for any discussion, knowledge is better. "

drcitizen wrote on Nov 1, 2009 3:52 PM:

" Shame on you Napa PD. You should have held his hand and sang "Kum bay ya My Lord". "

Mind_orbit wrote on Nov 2, 2009 5:16 AM:

" Don't buy into all of this "herr durr, drugs are bad kids" bull. If you want to get rid of terrifying drugs, then illegalize alcohol and cigarettes. OH WAIT, you would rather not because YOU like those things, but anything else just has to be absolutely wrong and must be killed on sight! Instead of fighting the drug community, why not work with them for something peaceful. I think we evolved from animals, but perhaps I am wrong. "

napa707 wrote on Nov 6, 2009 12:08 PM:

" you could have killed the kid come on! "

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