Emporia Police officers on Friday responded to a report of a person exposed to an unknown chemical.
According to Sgt. Edward P. Owens, of the Emporia Police Department, at approximately 9:30 p.m., officers responded to the incident at Flying J Truck Stop, 4215 West Highway 50. When officers arrived they found a white male identified as Richard T. Patton, of Moriarty, N.M. Patton had been sprayed by an unknown person with an orange in color substance to his face area. Emporia Fire Department arrived and took over the scene wearing self-contained breathing apparatuses. Richard Patton was transported to Newman Regional Health for further treatment.
While Patton was at Flying J, he exposed one employee of Flying J and a citizen that had attempted to render aid to Patton. Also exposed were two firefighters/EMTs and two Emporia Police Department officers. It was later determined the substance was a pepper spray type substance. All people that were exposed to the substance were treated and released from Newman.