Restrained in his hospital bed, Jason Schmidt was breathing on his own yesterday, but still not responding to commands or speaking, after doctors eased him out of a medically induced coma.

His parents were thrilled at the progress. Mr. Schmidt has been in Allegheny General Hospital since Friday, when he apparently overdosed on drugs and was arrested and stunned four times with a Taser by police in Brighton Heights.

But his condition improved enough that Bill Schmidt and Lorrie McGee were barred from visiting their son once again.

Police, who didn't allow Mr. Schmidt any visitors at all for two days, let only his parents see their son starting Monday, provided they followed visitation guidelines for intensive care patients.

Usually, arrested hospital patients are treated like they are in jail -- no visitors. But police made an exception when it seemed Mr. Schmidt's life was hanging by a thread.

Yesterday, though, when Bill Schmidt and Mrs. McGee tried to see their son at the 5 p.m. visiting hour, an officer guarding Jason Schmidt's room told them they were no longer allowed in.

"He's off the ventilator; he's out of basic danger," said Pittsburgh police Lt. Michael Piasecki, a supervisor for the officers at Mr. Schmidt's door.

"There was concern and we will definitely work with [the parents] a little bit, but basically, he's under arrest."

Lt. Piasecki said Assistant Chief Maurita Bryant made the call to suspend visitors from Mr. Schmidt's room.

Lt. Piasecki said officers also spotted the parents loosening the straps that tied Mr. Schmidt down to his bed. The parents said they were trying to move his arm around to aid blood flow, as suggested by a nurse, and they strapped him down again before leaving.

Jason Schmidt, 29, of Observatory Hill, has been charged with criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, but cannot be arraigned until he is coherent.

Mr. Schmidt's parents plan to file a motion in court tomorrow in another attempt to gain access to their son.

"This situation is so difficult, and they're just making it worse," Mrs. McGee said. "I don't know why they can't just leave us alone. I have to deal with my son being so ill, and now I have to deal with this, too."

Mr. Schmidt's parents said doctors diagnosed him with disseminated intravascular coagulation, a potentially life-threatening disorder in which the blood does not clot normally. It can be caused by severe trauma, and often results in organ failure.

Mr. Schmidt's parents said doctors found cocaine, Valium and the painkiller oxycodone in their son's system Friday, and it wasn't the first time he had overdosed.

Mrs. McGee was summoned to her son's house in Ohio Township Dec. 7 after his roommate called her. Mrs. McGee said Mr. Schmidt was throwing things around and acting erratically.

Mr. Schmidt wouldn't go to the hospital voluntarily, so Mrs. McGee called police. According to Ohio Township police, she told dispatchers that her son "was attempting to stab himself with a knife."

Mr. Schmidt did not struggle when officers arrived, Mrs. McGee said, and they took him in the back of the police car to Sewickley Valley Hospital.

Mrs. McGee said doctors there found cocaine and Valium in Mr. Schmidt's system, and he was released later that night.