Yakima police will recommend charges against a man who allegedly exposed Yakima Valley Memorial staff and a police officer to a hazardous substance on Monday morning at the hospital.
Yakima Police spokeswoman Yvette Inzuza said police will recommend a reckless endangerment charge after a patient smoked a hazardous substance in their hospital room around 10 a.m., exposing staff and a police officer.
The officer became ill after coming into contact with the substance, and a total of six nurses were evaluated, hospital and police officials said. Inzuza said the officer was treated and was recovering Monday. Officials were concerned about possible fentanyl exposure, she said.
No other patients were affected, a news release from Memorial said.
The Yakima Fire Department, Yakima County sheriff's deputies and hospital security also responded. They cleared and ventilated the area and closed public access to the hospital during the response.
The situation was resolved shortly before noon, and the hospital reopened to visitors, the news release from Memorial said.
