Man accused of assaulting Stillwater Medical Center security staff

  STILLWATER — A 23-year-old man, who was reportedly found unconscious in the street with a deep laceration on his arm, has been charged with attempting to bite down on the shoulder of a Stillwater Medical Center security staff member at about 1 am on Aug. 1.

   Joshua Dale Morton, who was living in Stillwater at the time of the alleged incident, listed Duncan as his residence when he was released on $2,500 bond later that day, court records show. Morton has been ordered to appear in court with an attorney on Sept. 15.

   If convicted of assaulting a hospital security staff member and distributing the peace while intoxicated at the Stillwater Medical Center, Morton could be incarcerated for two years plus 30 days and fined $1,100, according to the two-count charge.

   Stillwater Police Officer Joshua Gomez alleged in an affidavit that he was sent at 12:52 am to the hospital on a report that “an individual was fighting paramedics who had just transported him to SMC.

   “Police had been dispatched to the area of 5th and Ramsey at 12:32 am when Joshua was reportedly found unconscious in the street, with a deep laceration on his arm. I later learned that this laceration was obtained when Joshua punched a window.

   “When I arrived, I observed hospital security staff standing with Joshua attempting to calm him down. Joshua was swaying as he stood, had bloodshot eyes, and his speech was extremely slurred.

   “I spoke with a LifeNet paramedic, who told me that Joshua had stood up in the back of the ambulance and raised his fist toward him; however, (the paramedic) did not want to pursue charges against Joshua.

   “Joshua needed to be moved inside the emergency room so his laceration could be treated, but he refused to comply with medical staff’s requests. He continued slurring his speech while verbally berating and threatening hospital nurses and hospital security.

   “Eventually, Joshua had to be physically lifted onto a wheelchair and taken inside. Once inside, Joshua refused to exit the wheelchair to get onto the hospital bed. A member of the hospital security staff was attempting to get Joshua out of the wheelchair and onto the bed.

   “(The security staff member) leaned over in front of Joshua, and Joshua lurched forward while opening his mouth wide. His open mouth made contact with (the security staffer’s) shoulder, but he pulled away before Joshua could bite down. I later looked at the area on his shoulder where Joshua’s mouth made contact and observed a splotchy redness in the area.

   “Other officers and I had to quickly push Joshua onto the hospital bed where he was secured in handcuffs. Joshua looked at me and stated that he had done a lot of cocaine. I advised Joshua that he was under arrest.

   “After Joshua was secured to the bed, he went on to kick his legs at a (male) nurse and attempted to bite another member of hospital security. I spoke with (all three) about Joshua’s assaults toward them. (The first one) was the only one who wished to pursue charges against Joshua,” Officer Gomez alleged in his affidavit.