A Schuylkill County man was jailed Wednesday night after he allegedly kicked a police officer and punched a nurse in the face.
Shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday, police in Pottsville say they were dispatched to Lehigh Valley Hospital-East for a report of a violent patient who was involved in a physical altercation with staff.
While trying to get control of the patient – identified as 27-year-old Daniel Yates, of New Ringgold – one police officer says he was kicked in the face by him. Yates, police say, continued to resist officers and hospital staff.
Police say they were eventually able to get Yates in handcuffs and hold him on the ground while hospital staff attempted to administer medication to him. However, while they tried to do that, Yates gained control of the syringe with the medication in it. Police say they then Tased Yates and he released control of the syringe.
After the medication was administered, Yates was moved to a hospital bed, where he continued to resist, police say. He was ultimately restrained to the bed after several minutes and then moved to the emergency wing of the hospital.
While speaking with hospital staff, police say a nurse claims he was twice punched in the face by Yates before other staff could intervene.
Yates was eventually released from the hospital and into police custody. He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Christian Lengel and charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, resisting arrest, and persistent disorderly conduct.
Lengel set bail at $75,000 and remanded Yates to Schuylkill County Prison. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 21.
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...