San Bernardino man claims injury by hypodermic needle in gas pump handle
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It was so simple. Jose Medina says Monday he went to this gas station in Moreno Valley on the way to work. He grabbed the handle of a gas pump and felt a pinch. He says there was a hypodermic needle attached to the handle. Shows us the puncture in his finger and the picture he says he took of the needle.
It's a picture that has drawn some criticism. To be clear, there have been hoaxes in the past involving needles and gas pump handles. An immediate reaction of a debunking website was to label it a hoax. Snopes.com has since revised that.
Medina's daughter Jacqueline says, "If this was fake I wouldn't even be here talking to you and we wouldn't have even involved the police."
FOX 11 News went to the Moreno Valley Police Station to find out more. And, what they told us was they did take a report and are investigating."
At the gas station, there are video cameras on the rooftop. The family says they have been told by police Jose is seen on the video and an attendant at the gas station offers to help. Police, however, won't confirm that to us. Back to the handle... when Medina pulled the trigger and felt the pinch he says, "I thought it was like a loose wire in there. But, when I back up and see my finger... I started bleeding and I realized the needle was there on the trigger."
He says he was late for work, had to go to the hospital where he was given medication just in case he might have contracted something. Says Jacqueline, "It's scary. You don't know what's on there."
Medina's daughter is furious. She says she worries about things like razor blades in parks and now this...
She says it's terrible "that there are hoaxes and people think its just a joke. This is not something to joke." And, she adds, "I am angry because it's my father of course. If it was anybody's family member I think they'd be upset too."
Jose says ..."You're never expecting something like that."
The Medinas are awaiting the outcome of the police investigation. Meanwhile, this father and daughter say they are just trying to put out there word. "This stuff happens," she says, "this is happening and this is real."
The police investigation is continuing.
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