Stamford Man Was 'Forcibly Injected' With Ketamine By Greenwich EMS, Lawsuit Claims

STAMFORD, CT — A Stamford man has filed a lawsuit against the Town of Greenwich and several first responders, claiming he was forcibly injected with ketamine during an incident in May 2023 and subsequently experienced health problems.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Stamford Superior Court on July 7 by Jack Nastahowski, lists the Town of Greenwich, Greenwich Emergency Medical Services, a GEMS paramedic and two Greenwich police officers as defendants.

The lawsuit claims the defendants’ actions led to serious physical harm and long-term emotional distress, including PTSD symptoms, panic attacks, and homelessness. The filing outlines several counts including assault, false imprisonment, aiding and abetting, conspiracy, negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

On May 28, 2023, Nastahowski, who was 59 at the time and a resident of a Stamford, suffered a head wound after he was struck with a rock or a glass bottle during an altercation on Ivey Street in the Byram neighborhood of Greenwich, and he became "visibly and audibly upset," the lawsuit claims.

First responders were called to the scene, and Nastahowski was advised that he should get stitches for a cut on the right side of his head, the lawsuit claims.

The first responders gave Nastahowski "approximately 30 minutes to continue to roam the area and verbally vent his frustration about having been struck in the head," according to the lawsuit.

During this time, the lawsuit claims, the first responders came up with a plan to use a "chemical restraint" on Nastahowski.

Nastahowski initially refused medical treatment, but ultimately calmed down and said he would go to the hospital as long as he was transported in a police car and not an ambulance, the lawsuit claims.

First responders, however, insisted Nastahowski go by ambulance, which upset him again, according to the lawsuit.

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At this point, two Greenwich police officers "physically forced plaintiff up against an ambulance" where a GEMS paramedic "forcibly injected the plaintiff with ketamine against plaintiff's will."

Nastahowski was injected with at least 400mg of ketamine, a powerful sedative often used to sedate horses, the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit claims that no consent was obtained and that Nastahowski's medical history, including severe sleep apnea, a related implant, and the ingestion of an opiate earlier that day, was not considered prior to the injection.

"As a result of being forcibly injected with Ketamine, the plaintiff became
critically ill after suffering acute respiratory failure with either hypoxia or
hypercapnia," the lawsuit claims.

Nastahowski acquired aspiration pneumonia, and was intubated and hospitalized for seven days, including six in the Intensive Care Unit, the lawsuit claims.

Ultimately, Nastahowski required nine stitches for his head wound.

"The defendants colluded in order to forcibly inject the plaintiff with Ketamine solely in order to get him to take a GEMS ambulance to the hospital," the lawsuit claims. "Instead of driving to the hospital to obtain nine (9) stitches - or letting the wound heal on its own - the plaintiff was instead almost killed by the defendants' because they wanted the plaintiff to go to the hospital and travel there by GEMS ambulance."

Nastahowski is seeking damages in excess of $15,000.

A motion was filed on behalf of the defendants on July 15 asking for an extension of time to respond to the plaintiff's complaint.

Patch has reached out to the Town of Greenwich Legal Department and the attorney for the first responders for comment.