MADISON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A man is facing charges after he became irate at a hospital, walking around with an IV pole attached to him, demanding a cigarette.
On October 24, 2024, at approximately 11:20 p.m., Deputy R.B. Dotson was present at Boone Memorial Health’s emergency room for an unrelated matter when hospital staff alerted him to a disruptive patient, William Johnson. Johnson, who had been admitted for alcohol intoxication after being released from Lotus Recovery Center, was reportedly becoming irate and unruly.
The officer observed Johnson walking around the emergency room with an IV pole attached to his arm, yelling that he wanted a cigarette. The nursing staff informed Deputy Dotson that Johnson was unable to sign himself out due to his incoherent state. In his frustration, Johnson deliberately broke the IV pole from the hospital bed, causing damage to both the pole and the bed.
Deputy Dotson intervened as Johnson’s behavior escalated, causing a disruption in the emergency room, where other patients were receiving care. Despite verbal commands from the officer to stop yelling and using profane language, Johnson refused to cooperate and threatened to damage more hospital equipment if he did not get a cigarette.
After continuing to create a disturbance, Johnson was detained and handcuffed. However, he attempted to slip his handcuffs from behind his back to the front by sliding them under his legs, though he complied when the officer noticed and instructed him to return the cuffs to the proper position.
During the incident, Johnson reportedly told the officer that he felt suicidal, stating that he wanted to die but did not want to kill himself, raising concerns about his mental state.
Hospital staff estimated the damage to the bed and IV pole to be less than $2,500, with a more accurate estimate pending. Johnson was placed under arrest based on the officer’s observations and admissions.
