An Alexandria man has been charged with exposing a police officer to Hepatitis after he spit blood in the lawman’s face after fight with authorities.

The suspect, Andrew Payton West, 28, is charged with criminal exposure, vandalism, driving on a revoked license, assault, drunk driving and failure to stop.

The chain of events that led to the criminal exposure count began as police were running speed enforcement. The officer said he observed West traveling six miles over in a 45 mile-per-hour zone. After he passed the officer, the suspect increased his speed to 57 mph at which time the officer followed the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop.

When the suspect vehicle pulled over, lawmen say West opened his door and started to step out and began cussing the officer. The officer commanded West to stay in the vehicle and to show his hands. “He appeared to be reaching for something and the officer again commanded him to show his hands,” the report reads.

West then reached for an item that turned out to be his phone. The phone was removed from his hand at which time he tried to swing and hit the officer.

“He missed but swung again and hit a county deputy who was assisting him in the face,” the report continues.

At that time the city officer and deputy tried to restrain West as he continued to try and fight them. The officers were able to pull him out of the car and escort him to the ground where he was placed in handcuffs.

“While escorting him to the patrol car, he continued to taunt them and spit blood in the city officer’s face which was coming from a nose wound he had received during the altercation,” the report revealed.

Once the officers were able to get West in the patrol car, he started kicking the passenger back window to the point that he kicked the window and the seal apart from the frame. West was taken to the emergency room to get checked out for the injuries he sustained and a DUI blood draw. A check with Central Dispatch revealed that West has a revoked license for failure to pay fines. West was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the traffic stop, had a license plate on the car that didn’t belong on it and couldn’t provide proof of insurance.

The police officer was also seen in the emergency after being exposed to West’s blood and later was informed that West has Hepatitis C.