Will a Naked Stroll in the Snow Result in Criminal Charges?
It’s not every day that you see a naked man in a cowboy hat on the side of the highway in January. Although if you’re a police officer, you may see this sort of thing more often than most. As Doreen Olko, Chief of the Auburn Hills Police Department explained the next day on the department blog, it wasn’t that unusual of a call. What made it strange was the fact that he was on the side of the highway.
So…..why was there a naked man wearing nothing but a cowboy hat strolling through a blizzard on I-75? Well, according to the Auburn Hills Police blog, the responding officers realized almost immediately that the man was most likely suffering from something called Excited Delirium Syndrome.
Apparently this is more common among white males who have a history of stimulant use, like cocaine or PCP, along with a history of a psychological disorder. Victims usually experience severe overheating, which is why they tend to remove their clothes, and are often combative and incoherent.
One of the major concerns in a situation like this is that the victim refuses police orders and becomes uncooperative, which can lead to a physical altercation. In their highly overheated state, a physical fight – like the one that would take place place if the victim resisted arrest – could lead to cardiac arrest. But thank goodness, the responding officers in this case realized quickly what was happening and were able to get the man into the back of a police cruiser without a fight.
Although officers had called for an ambulance already, with the snowy roads slowing down the traffic, they felt it best to take the victim to a nearby fire station where EMTs were on hand to assist. The man apparently became unresponsive while on the way, but officers and EMTs were able to get him quickly onto a gurney and into the back of the ambulance for transport.
Will the man face charges for indecent exposure? Some say yes, some say no. What we do know is that the man in question was taken to the hospital and is getting the help he needs. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope that his future is free of legal troubles.