By Mark Gilger
The News-Item
COAL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A Mount Carmel man transported by ambulance to a local hospital Saturday morning allegedly assaulted an emergency medical technician and threatened to kill the EMT and an emergency room nurse.
Timothy S. Shirk, 48, of 24 E. Third St., Apartment 400, later fled from Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital (G-SACH), but was apprehended nearby, police said.
He was jailed in Northumberland County Prison, Sunbury, after being arraigned shortly before 4 a.m. Saturday by on-call Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones on a felony of aggravated assault and misdemeanors of simple assault and disorderly conduct. Shirk was unable to post $25,000 cash bail.
Cuts to face, hand
According to arresting township officer Matthew Hashuga, the disturbance occurred at about 1:15 a.m. after Shirk was transported from Mount Carmel by AREA Services Ambulance to G-SACH.
Police said Shirk was under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and had suffered facial and hand lacerations when ambulance personnel picked him up. Police said they did not know how he had been cut.
Upon arrival at the hospital, police said Shirk became unruly in the back of the ambulance and began grabbing at EMT James Vetovich’s clipboard. When the rear door of the ambulance was opened, EMT Albert Mench III said Shirk attempted to free himself from his restraints and strike Vetovich. Mench told police he tried to calm Shirk down, at which point Shirk grabbed him by the neck, squeezed his throat and threatened to kill him.
Mench said he and Vetovich were able to restrain Shirk and escorted him into the emergency room. Upon being placed on a hospital bed, Shirk became violent and began yelling and making threats toward emergency room nurse Melissa Schoch. Police said Shirk used obscene language toward Schoch and threatened to kill her.
Mench said Shirk then grabbed his shirt, causing the left pocket to rip.
Hospital staff ordered Shirk to be escorted from the facility.
Shirk fled from the hospital grounds, but was apprehended by police a short time later at Center Street and Hospital Road.
Mench and Vetovich reportedly were not injured.