The Oregonian
oregonlive.com
TIGARD, Ore. — A patient experiencing a mental health crisis unbuckled himself in the back of an ambulance and starting hitting a paramedic, Tigard Police said. The incident caused significant traffic delays in the nearby area during Thursday’s morning rush hour.
A two-person Metro West crew was driving a person to the hospital for evaluation after a police call in Sherwood, when the patient began attacking the paramedic riding in the back around the head and neck, police said.
The emergency medical technician who was driving stopped the ambulance and went to help, police said, but the patient also began assaulting the EMT. The EMT exited the rig, with the patient chasing him with a rock down Highway 99W. When Tigard police arrived, they saw the man still chasing the EMT near Southwest Beef Bend Road.
Police restrained the man, who was transported for evaluation under police guard in a second ambulance. The man was cited on two counts of assault.
The EMT, whose name was not released, was taken to the hospital to be checked out.
The incident occurred just a week after AMR paramedics were on scene in the Glenfair neighborhood of Southeast Portland for a medical call when a man began firing shots at a neighbor. A 38-year-old man was arrested in that case, Portland police said.
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