Man with Hep A Sticks APD Officer with Needle

AUSTIN, TX - Austin Police have arrested and charged Michael Tinkham, 26, with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after he stabbed an officer with a needle containing heroin and possible Hepatitis A.

Police say they were patrolling through Duncan Park Thursday during SXSW festival when they came upon Tinkham drinking a bottle of vodka under a bridge along Shoal Creek. 4 officers tracked down Tinkham on their bikes and noticed him putting something in his pocket. As officers tried to place handcuffs on Tinkham he began to fight back and pulled out a needle in his hand. 

According to the arrest affidavit, Tinkham held the needle exposed in his hand like a knife.  Officers tried to take Tinkham down, but during the struggle one of the officers was stuck with the needle in the pinky. They then tased Tinkham until he submitted to being handcuffed. 

Tinkham told the officers that he had Hepatitis A.  There was also a brown substance located in the syringe that appeared to be heroin. The officer that was stuck was transported to Brackenridge because of his heart rate was elevated and they needed to do a blood screening.

Tinkham has been charged with aggravated assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon.

"It's standard for us to go to a hospital," Senior Police Officer Veneza Aguinaga said. "To go get blood work done, even if we don't know if the person has a disease or not, there's always that possibility and we want to take all necessary precautions so we don't take these things home to our families."