Charges filed against patient with coronavirus accused of spitting at, assaulting hospital staff
Pontiac MI May 21 2020
Charges have been filed against a 25-year-old Pontiac man with COVID-19 for allegedly assaulting and spitting at staff at McLaren-Oakland Hospital in Pontiac where he had been brought in for treatment.
Patrick Michael Crawford was arraigned Saturday in 50th District Court on four counts of assault and battery, each 93-day misdemeanors, and one count of disorderly person, a 90-day misdemeanor. He’s held in the Oakland County Jail in lieu of posting a $5,000 bond. His next court date is May 26.
It was at around 10:30 p.m. Friday when deputies from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office were called to McLaren-Oakland’s emergency room, where Crawford had been brought for medical treatment.
“When the medical staff attempted to treat the patient, he became argumentative and began to assault them,” the sheriff’s office reported. “The patient was then placed in restraints by medical staff and later placed into an isolation room.”
As an evaluation was started by doctors, Crawford “made verbal threats towards them and said that he was infected with the COVID-19 virus and began to spit at the attending physician and emergency room staff,” the sheriff’s office said.
Crawford did test positive for COVID-19, deputies were told. Crawford was medically cleared for transport before he was taken to jail, the sheriff’s office said.
The victims of the assault were the attending physician, a 42-year-old man, and two male nursing staff members, ages 32 and 29, the sheriff’s office said.
Crawford’s criminal history includes malicious destruction of property, domestic violence, larceny and resisting/obstructing police.
