Man’s fight with hospital staff leads to charge

JONESBORO, Ark. – When police arrived on the scene of an unknown disturbance Tuesday afternoon at St. Bernard’s, they found five nurses holding the suspect down in the parking lot.

The suspect, Dwayne Stevenson, 31, of Jonesboro – also known as “Wayne Thang,” had fled from hospital staff and in the process, shoved a nursing director down the steps leading to him breaking his left foot, the narrative by JPD states.It began at 3:35 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, when Officer Joseph Branstetter was sent to 225 East Jackson Avenue to an unknown disturbance. Dispatch advised that “five nurses” were holding down a male outside of the hospital. When Branstetter arrived, he recognized Stevenson as the male and was able to calm him down so he could place him into custody.

“After speaking with the nursing staff, they advised that (Stevenson) had locked himself a restroom and refused to come out,” Branstetter reported. “(Stevenson) ran out of the restroom and became combative.”

The victim who was injured, the RN nursing director, told police he thought Stevenson had a 72-hour hold placed on him but he later learned there was no such hold. Staff was concerned with Stevenson because, the report says, some type of suicidal warning had been made.

A chase ensued in the hospital between the nurse and “Wayne Thang.”

“…(the nursing director) was able to catch Stevenson and locked arms with him on the stairs,” Branstetter reported. “Stevenson pushed (the nursing director) causing him to stumble down the stairs (and) causing him to break his left foot.”

Eventually, the Stevenson was apprehended by hospital staff. He was arrested by Branstetter for felony second degree battery on medical personnel.

The next day, when Detective Shane Fox tried talking to Stevenson at Craighead County Detention Center, he was “very defiant and combative,” Fox said.

He is due in court on October 31, 2017. A cash/surety bond was set by Judge Tommy Fowler at $1,500.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*