Salt Lake City police Detective Jeff Payne has been fired from his part-time paramedic job as the fallout continues from Payne’s arrest of a University Hospital nurse in July.
Payne arrested nurse Alex Wubbels on July 26 when she refused to allow Payne to draw a patient’s blood. The encounter caught worldwide attention last week when Wubbels and her attorney released police body camera footage of the arrest and conversations between officers and with hospital officials before and after the encounter. Wubbels was released from police custody after several minutes.
At one point in the footage, Payne remarks to another officer — apparently frustrated by Wubbels’ refusal to allow a blood draw — that he could retaliate against the hospital in his role as a Gold Cross paramedic.