ROCKLAND, Maine — A 27-year-old Rockland man was arrested Wednesday, accused of assaulting a nurse and security guard in the emergency room of the local hospital.
Derek M. Bragg was charged with two counts of assault, one of which was elevated to felony level under state law because the alleged assault was on a health care provider while they were performing their duties.
Rockport police Officer Robbie Shaw responded Wednesday to a call about an out-of-control patient at the emergency room at Pen Bay Medical Center. When he arrived, he heard screaming and followed the sounds to a room in the emergency department, where nine to 10 staff members were holding Bragg down on a bed, according to an affidavit filed by Shaw.
The officer handcuffed the man to the bed and helped the health care staff keep him on the bed as they sedated Bragg, according to the court document.
A nurse reported that when Bragg entered the room to have his vital signs monitored, Bragg kicked a stool that struck the nurse in the legs. Bragg then came at the nurse but a security guard intervened, according to the affidavit. The guard reported that Bragg bit his hand but that the guard was spared injury because he was wearing a glove.
The staff reported that the man had fresh needle marks and appeared to be high on something, according to the affidavit.
He was taken to the Knox County Jail, where bail was set at $500 cash. He made his initial court appearance in Knox County Unified Court on Friday afternoon, where Justice Daniel Billings kept bail at $500. Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Baroody had requested bail be increased to $1,000 cash.