By Kristin Trent and Avery Redula
WOODLAND, CA – A man with Tourette syndrome seeking emergency medical care was the primary witness here in a Yolo County Superior Court trial this week for urgent care security personnel who allegedly assaulted him during the onset of a seizure.
The alleged victim said he arrived at Woodland Memorial Hospital experiencing extreme head pain when the alleged altercation with security occurred. The accused security officer faces two felony charges and one misdemeanor.
The trial included reviews of police body cam footage and audio recordings of the complaining witness from the incident, and includes audio of the altercation and footage of the police interview with the complaining witness after they arrived on scene.
“They started getting at me, pestering me, pushing me, telling me to get into the waiting room,” the complaining witness said.
Shortly after, disturbing audio depicts the scene of the complaining witness’s altercation with security. He can be heard screaming, “What are you doing to me?” while yelping in pain from the alleged bodily harm.
The accused is pleading not guilty to the charges which include endangering the health of a dependent adult, assault by force likely to produce great bodily injury, and a battery misdemeanor.
During the interaction, audio evidence depicts the complaining witness repeatedly asking security to get his chart which would reflect that it was medically necessary for him to receive care.
Security can be heard telling him to go back to the streets and calling him a “hobo” despite the complaining witness being housed.
Further audio evidence captures the derogatory nature of the altercation. Despite the complaining witness’s repeated denial, the security officer can be heard asking the complaining witness in a sarcastic tone if he uses meth, “even just a little bit?”
Police testified about the complaining witness’s substance use, but confirmed the witness’s fidgeting, speech impediment, and auditory ticks as the result of the complaining witness’s Tourette.
According to police officer testimony, “(The complaining witness) had scratches along his body, he had his shirt off, and a hematoma on his head” when he arrived on scene.
Police officers said the bump on the complaining witness’s head was the result of the seizure he had suffered.
Despite his repeated attempts to seek care, the complaining witness was unable to be treated until police arrived on scene, where he received medical care pertaining to his injuries. The complaining witness was unable to receive medical care for his head pain.
The trial is ongoing and will reconvene at 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 28 where the complaining witness is set to be cross-examined.
I would hope that this security guard has been fired by the hospital after his arrest.