Police: Man became combative during ambulance transport
HAMBLEN TWP. — Paramedics had to call for backup when a Franklin man became uncontrollable during a weekend transport to a local hospital from Cordry Lake.
Cruz Davenport, 21, was arrested on two charges of battery against a public safety official, both Level 5 felonies, and disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. The Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office will decide what, if any, charges to file.
Johnson County deputies were dispatched about 1:30 a.m. Sunday to State Road 44 and County Road 100 West on a report of Brown County paramedics needing assistance due to a combative patient, according to a Johnson County Sheriff’s Office report.
Initially, paramedics requested deputies meet the ambulance at Johnson Memorial Hospital, but later requested deputies attempt to find the ambulance along the shoulder of State Road 44 after they had to pull over, according to the report.
When deputies arrived, Davenport began to yell profanities and nonsense while kicking his legs. The ambulance appeared to be in a chaotic state with items thrown around and Davenport’s shoes on the floor. A paramedic told deputies Davenport had just kicked him in the face and spat on another paramedic, and asked that a deputy ride with them to Johnson Memorial, the report said.
At the hospital, Davenport continued to yell profanities and talk to his friends as if they were sitting with him. They were not. Inside the hospital, he attempted to kick the staff. Once secured to a bed, he attempted multiple times to insult staff and break hospital property, according to the report.
Paramedics told deputies they were dispatched to an unknown address near Cordry Lake in Brown County regarding a highly intoxicated man who said he wanted to go to the hospital. It was a standard medical run, the report said.
During transport, Davenport was talking nonsensically and said he drank a fifth of tequila. Once in Johnson County, near the intersection of State Road 135 and State Road 44, he became irate and started to flail uncontrollably and threatened to kill them, paramedics said.
Davenport kicked one of them in the face as they attempted to restrain him. The paramedic was thrown into a cabinet and stuck his head. They radioed for assistance and continued toward Johnson Memorial. He then broke his restraint and struck a paramedic in the face, knocking off his mask, which is when they decided to pull over and wait for backup, according to the report.
The ambulance driver had pulled over multiple times to assist the paramedic who was riding in the back with Davenport. At one point, when he opened the back doors, Davenport spat on the driver, he said.
Davenport was treated at Johnson Memorial for a high level of intoxication. He had a BAC of 0.26, according to the report.
A jail van was requested, and he continued to fight with deputies on his way to the Johnson County jail, where he is held on $7,600 bond.
1 injured; vehicles swipe mirrors
VAN BUREN TWP. — One person was injured after two vehicles were involved in a crash on Becks Grove Road Sept. 14.
Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Bowling responded to the crash around 6:30 a.m.
Shawn Doughty, 46, of Freetown, said he was driving and noticed a vehicle — driven by Kevin Pruitt, 64, Freetown — coming towards him in the center of the road. He told police he moved over as far as he could, but could not avoid striking mirrors with the oncoming vehicle, an accident report states.
Pruitt told police that he thought he was over in his lane far enough to avoid striking mirrors with Doughty’s vehicle, but as they passed each other they struck mirrors.
The driver side window of Doughty’s vehicle was shattered along with damage to the mirror. Doughty had an abrasion on his arm and was looked at by EMS at the scene.
