Toilet Seat Sends Man to Emergency Room

DELAND, FLORIDA – A man who stopped in at the DeLand police station to use the public restroom was injured when a loose toilet seat shifted, smashing his penis, police said.

Robert LaBollita, 51, said today he had to go to the emergency room because no one at the police department or the fire department, which was called after he reported the injury, would provide antibiotics. He said he was worried about an infection because the injury happened on a public toilet.

“All the fire department people gave me is sterile water and a bandage,” LaBollita said.

LaBollita said he was on his way to the library Monday and stopped at the police station at 9:34 a.m. to use the public restroom. LaBollita told police he sat down and the seat moved and “pinched his penis.” LaBollita suffered a bruise and broken skin, he said.

LaBollita said he had no access to medicine and asked for an antibiotic to treat the injury, the report said.

DeLand fire paramedics came to the police station and told LaBollita how to treat the injury, handing him a bandage, the report said.

“It was painful. I was quite traumatized when it happened,” LaBollita said. “I am 250 pounds. Imagine that, that’s all my weight pushing on that.”

The investigating officer wrote in his report that the toilet seat was loose and that he gave the information to the people responsible for repairs. Police are required to file a report anytime someone is hurt on public property.

LaBollita said he is not litigious but has not dismissed the option of a lawsuit.

Courtesy News Journal Online