LOWELL — A person was arrested Tuesday after allegedly eradicating his colostomy bag and hurling it at hospital workers and law enforcement officials throughout a messy confrontation at Lowell Normal Hospital’s Saints Campus.
Antonio Santiago, 45, didn’t hit anybody when he allegedly threw the bag, nevertheless it did splatter human waste contained in the emergency room, in keeping with a Lowell Police incident report.
As police would later be taught, this was not the primary time Santiago had allegedly thrown human waste on the facility.
Santiago, who’s listed as homeless in Lowell District Court docket paperwork, was charged with eight counts of assault with a harmful weapon — one for every particular person current in the course of the incident — in addition to trespassing after discover.
Police stated two officers responded to Saints Campus at about 5:45 a.m. for reviews of two males who had entered the hospital collectively and have been refusing to depart after being discharged. Whereas one particular person complied and exited the emergency room, Santiago remained defiant, demanding that workers change his colostomy bag earlier than he would depart.
Hospital workers instructed police that they had offered all of the therapy they may supply and had given Santiago provides to alter the bag himself. In line with the report, officers requested Santiago a number of instances to depart, however he continued to refuse and allegedly stated that if workers didn’t change the bag, he would take away it and throw it at them.
Police allege that Santiago adopted by way of on the menace.
An officer wrote within the report that Santiago eliminated the bag and tossed it, practically placing the officer within the head and simply lacking the opposite. Along with being thrown towards police, the report states the “human waste filled bag containing fecal matter” was additionally hurled within the path of hospital workers, forcing them to maneuver out of the way in which to keep away from being hit.
The colostomy bag “hit the recently installed clear protective plexiglass (which is made to protect nursing staff) and splattered all over the glass and the emergency room floor,” in keeping with police.
These current in the course of the incident included the 2 officers, medical workers, technicians, and hospital safety.
Santiago was subsequently arrested on the hospital, however earlier than he was escorted from the scene, medical workers cleaned his uncovered intestinal space and altered his colostomy bag.
Police famous within the report that a physician offered officers with a letter stating Santiago had been “flagged as a violent patient,” and had been witnessed on three separate events throwing human feces at workers “when he is angry and does not get what he demands.” The letter additionally acknowledged that Santiago is not welcome on the hospital attributable to his alleged conduct.
After Santiago was positioned beneath arrest, the person he had arrived on the hospital with — Jonah Randle, 30, additionally listed as homeless — allegedly walked again into Saints Campus and once more refused to depart. Police stated within the report that officers instructed him to exit the hospital, however he refused and was in the end charged with trespassing after discover.
Santiago was arraigned later within the day on Tuesday in Lowell District Court docket by Choose John Coffey on the eight counts of assault with a harmful weapon — particularly, a colostomy bag — and was ordered held with out bail pending a bail listening to scheduled Friday.
The end result of Randle’s arraignment is unknown.
Santiago’s legal professional, Thomas Mixon, stated he visited his consumer in custody on Saturday and described him as “doing OK,” including that Santiago “wants to get some help to get back in the community.”
Mixon stated his focus is on securing psychological well being therapy for Santiago.
The legal professional additionally questioned the hospital’s dealing with of Santiago’s colostomy bag, noting that workers in the end modified it after the alleged incident, which is what his consumer wished all alongside. Mixon added that the bag had not been modified for a number of days and should have posed a well being concern.
“If they had just given him the help and changed the bag for him, the alleged incident wouldn’t have occurred,” Mixon stated. “I’m going to get the medical records and see why they couldn’t do that.”
Along with his arrest at Saints Campus, Santiago has two different circumstances pending in Lowell District Court docket.
On Sept. 29, Santiago was arrested close to Lowell Excessive Faculty after allegedly stealing an electrical scooter. Police stated in a report that he was additionally discovered with bolt cutters and a damaged bike lock. He had an energetic no-trespass order from the varsity attributable to earlier incidents involving the theft of electrical scooters and electrical bikes.
In line with the report, Santiago instructed police that he stole the scooter as a result of he wanted cash to help his drug habit.
He was charged with larceny of property beneath $1,200, possession of burglarious instruments, and trespassing. He was arraigned the identical day by Choose Leo Fama and launched on his personal recognizance, with circumstances that he obey all legal guidelines and avoid Lowell Excessive.
Additionally, hours earlier than the alleged incident at Saints Campus, Santiago was arrested at an residence constructing on Middlesex Avenue after allegedly trespassing in a laundry room. In line with a police report, Santiago instructed police he’s homeless and claimed he had a pal who lived within the constructing, however was unable to offer the pal’s residence quantity, cellphone quantity, or every other figuring out info.
Police later discovered Santiago had beforehand been barred from the property. Because of this, he was charged with trespassing after discover.
Comply with Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
