A Pittsburgh man is charged man with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, possession of drugs, public drunkenness and underage drinking after he fought police and emergency workers trying to take him to the hospital early Sunday, Altoona police said.
Police on patrol spotted Charles A. Hollins, 19, lying on steps in front of Altoona Regional Health System, Bon Secours Hospital Campus, at 12:44 a.m. and found him to be highly intoxicated. He smelled of alcohol, his speech was slurred, he was incoherent, he was unable to stand and he was sweating profusely, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
Fearing he was overdosing on alcohol or drugs, police called AMED, but Hollins became combative when placed into an ambulance. He threw a punch at a paramedic, and he vomited on paramedics and a police officer, court documents state.
An officer finally got him handcuffed to a gurney, but when emergency workers drove the ambulance around back to the emergency entrance and took him out, Hollins became combative again and tried to bite another officer.
Police used pepper spray and physical force to restrain Hollins, but he continued to thrash and kick until they, paramedics and hospital staffers wheeled him into the emergency room, according to the affidavit.
Hollins was taken to Blair County Prison in lieu of 10 percent of $40,000 bail.
