The State - News from April 29, 1988

The wife of a Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy partially paralyzed by AIDS has herself now tested positive for the AIDS virus, the couple’s lawyer said. Deputy Bill Martin was diagnosed as having the deadly disease after suffering a series of strokes, which doctors said were caused by AIDS-related brain lesions. The doctors said he apparently became infected when he accidentally stuck himself with a hypodermic needle while rummaging through some paraphernalia confiscated in a drug raid. Attorney Chris Adrain said Martin’s wife has tested positive for the HIV virus but has not yet developed any symptoms of acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The couple’s diagnosis has raised concerns among Bay Area police, firefighters and paramedics as to the extent of their medical benefits for AIDS-related illnesses.