Hempfield man receives prison time for spitting on EMTs

A Hempfield man was sentenced to state prison for spitting on two emergency medical technicians as they tried to take him to a hospital for treatment.

Anthony Michael Flowers, 33, was sentenced earlier this month to two to five years behind bars, according to a court order.

Flowers was convicted in a September nonjury trial of two counts of aggravated assault and offenses including simple assault, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief. He was acquitted of making a bomb threat.

Testimony indicated Flowers on Oct. 12, 2024 threatened additional violence and destroyed equipment in the back of an ambulance. A Mutual Aid first responder said Flowers became enraged and, after spitting on the two EMTs, he destroyed medical equipment and threw a fire extinguisher at them and through the rear window of a neighbor’s parked SUV. The defense claimed he was experiencing a mental health incident.

Flowers was ordered to comply with mental health treatment as part of his sentence. Court records indicated he had been deemed incompetent to stand trial at some point, but later had his competency restored. He was ordered to pay $5,400 in restitution and was credited with 404 days served.