Racine man charged after allegedly choking nurse with stethoscope

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A Racine man allegedly attacked a nurse back in January.

Shirley Earl is now facing charges of Battery to an Emergency Rescue Worker following the assault.

Officers were called to the Ascension Emergency Room for a report of a patient assaulting a nurse in the emergency room.

Officers spoke with the nurse who said it was her responsibility to bring in a shot to calm the patient, later identified as Earl, who was brought in. According to the nurse, Earl was struggling with security personnel.

The nurse told police that Earl hit her in the face. He also allegedly grabbed her stethoscope and choked her.

According to the criminal complaint, the nurse had redness to her jawline and chest. She was also experiencing pain on the right side of her face and in her neck. The nurse told police that she heard a pop in her neck during the assault.

Earl did not appear in court on March 20th because he is allegedly still in the hospital.