A car thief with hepatitis was sent to jail after he let a Bethlehem police officer search his pocket and prick his hand on a needle.
Miguel Ortiz Jr. said he failed to warn the officer because he only heard him ask about weapons.
Ortiz was sentenced to nine to 21 months in prison for aggravated assault and receiving stolen property.
The search came after the 23-year-old Ortiz crashed a stolen car into a cigar store.
The officer has been undergoing tests and taking large doses of medicine as he waits to learn if he has contracted hepatitis.
Ortiz apologized at a court hearing Thursday. He told the judge he stole the car after using heroin.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
