Wantage couple disputes Newton police investigation

NEWTON — The husband of a Wantage woman who claims police assaulted her when they arrested her at her husband's bedside at Newton Medical Center says the internal investigation by the department did not address the couple's claims.

The Newton Police Department cleared three officers who responded to a call from the hospital on Oct. 22 to remove the woman from the emergency room.

Two of the officers were accused in a complaint of roughing up Emily Blohm, 24, when she refused to leave a room where her husband, David Santana, was being treated. The third officer, Jason Miller, was not accused of mistreating Blohm but has been suspended from the force due to unrelated allegations that he was exposing himself to male motorists on numerous occasions.

Santana said one of the officers went up to Blohm, who was seated in a chair, grabbed her wrist and took her down face first into the emergency room floor after she questioned why she couldn't stay in the emergency room with her husband.

According to a police report filed by Miller, several nurses and doctors had requested Blohm be removed for being "unruly." After police requested she leave the room and she refused, Blohm was "physically removed from the chair she was sitting in. Once patrols placed their hands on Blohm she began to thrash her arms and legs. She was taken into custody after a brief struggle and continued her disorderly behavior."

In a prepared statement, Newton Police Department Chief Michael Richards said an investigation by the department found the actions of the officers was "justified, legal and proper."

Newton police stated that hospital staff asked for Blohm to be removed after she "interrupted the medical staff, talked over them and refused to leave."

Santana, a seven-year member of the New Jersey National Guard, disputes that his wife interrupted staff. He said a nurse had asked her to leave the room but wouldn't respond to questions by Blohm as to why she had to leave. Santana said he told staff he wanted his wife to stay.

Santana said when police arrived, one of the officers cursed at her and told her to get up from the chair. When she didn’t, the officer grabbed her by the wrist and took her down to the floor face first. Another officer allegedly held her face down to the floor while they handcuffed her, he said. Santana said his wife is 5-foot-4 and not a physical threat.

According to the police report filed by Miller, officers gave Blohm several chances to leave on her own before taking physical action.

In a statement by Richards regarding the incident, Blohm allegedly cursed at officers before they used force on her to remove her from the room.

"Upon attempting to do so, she dropped to the floor and began flailing and kicking at the officers," he said in the statement. "She was then restrained, handcuffed and walked out of the emergency room."

Santana disputed that.
Blohm allegedly refused to exit the patrol car when it arrived at the police station. Police said they asked Blohm to leave the car for five minutes before physically attempting to pull her out, Richards stated.

"It appeared to the officer that she was about to spit in his face, so the officer pushed her face to the side to deter this from happening. He then escorted her into the police station processing room," Richards said in his statement. She was driven back to the hospital parking lot to her car afterwards.

Santana said his wife claims the officer not only pushed her face to the side but pressed two thumbs into her mouth while another officer held her from behind. Blohm went to the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office one day after being arrested to make a complaint. She was told by the prosecutor’s office to file a complaint with the Newton Police Department but declined due to the trauma she experienced, Santana said. Messages left by The Advertiser-News with the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office regarding the case were not returned.

Santana made a complaint with Newton police.

Blohm is facing charges of resisting arrest, defiant trespass and disorderly conduct which are pending in Newton Municipal Court.

“The problem that I do have is the excessive force that they used on my wife,” Santana said. “It wasn’t right. We know it wasn’t right. My wife had to suffer all these bruises."

Santana said he has also made a complaint at the hospital regarding his family's treatment by the nurse at the center of the incident.

Rob Seaman, who handles public relations for Atlantic Health System, which owns and operated Newton Medical Center, declined to answer questions regarding the incident on behalf of the hospital.

"Newton Medical Center doesn't provide information regarding police investigations," Seaman said.

"We’re not going to let this go away," Santana said.

Reporter Nathan Mayberg can be reached at comm.reporter@strausnews.com or by calling 845-469-9000 ext. 359