SALINE CO.— A homeless Harrisburg man has been charged with a felony after authorities say he punched an emergency services worker.
According to the charge filed in the case, on June 6, at approximately 6:03 p.m., Charles Canimore from the Saline County Ambulance Service contacted central dispatch and said he needed an officer at 221 West Raymond St., in Harrisburg, in reference to him being struck by a patient.
Upon arrival officer Tom Leverett spoke with Canimore, 53, of Harrisburg, who told him that he and his ambulance partner Lisa Carter, 38, of Marion, had arrived on scene at 211 West Raymond and found their patient 61-year-old Michael D. Quertermous, had fallen to the ground so they put him on the ambulance stretcher and placed him inside the ambulance.
Canimore said that Quertermous was non-verbal and so he reached toward him to shake him to get a response.
What he said he got was Quertermous swinging a fist at him, striking him in the right shoulder.
Canimore said that’s when he and Carter backed off and contacted police.
Carter said in her statement that it seemed like Quertermous, who was suddenly yelling, was aiming to hit Canimore in the face but hit his shoulder instead.
Leverett was able to calm Quertermous down and he was transported to the Harrisburg Medical Center to be checked out.
At approximately 12:18 a.m. HMC contacted central dispatch and advised Quertermous was being released and they wanted him removed from the property.
Officer Leverett arrived and took custody of Quertermous, advising him that he was under arrest and being charged with felony Aggravated Battery for hitting Canimore.
Cash bond in the case was set at $1,000.