An ambulance worker has been arrested, accused of sexually assaulting a woman while she was strapped to a stretcher in the back of an ambulance on Christmas Day.
Police said Mark Powell, 49, of North Haven, works for American Medical Response and responded to a home in Hamden on Christmas Day after a 22-year-old woman fell at a holiday party, suffered a head injury and became unconscious.
The woman told police she woke up on the way to Yale–New Haven Hospital and Powell was sexually assaulting her.
She was not able to move because she was strapped to a stretcher, she told police.
Hamden Police detectives began investigating and identified the suspect as Powell. They obtained an arrest warrant on Thursday and Powell turned himself in to police custody that day.
Powell started working for AMR part-time in 2006 and had worked for the company full-time since September 2011. He has been placed on unpaid leave.
Charles Babson, AMR General Manager, said Powell was placed on administrative leave immediately after the company learned of the allegations on Jan. 3.
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“This kind of behavior is an affront to AMR caregivers across Connecticut who provide high quality care to their patients each and every day, with integrity and compassion," Babson said. "His alleged actions are not reflective of our dedicated paramedics and EMTs, who hold themselves to the highest standards of professional conduct.”
Police said during a news conference that the assault went on for five to seven seconds. There was another paramedic in the truck, police said, but they did not release any information on what the other person saw.
"The allegations in this case represent outrageous and horrifying conduct by an emergency medical professional. Our society places the greatest level of trust and confidence in its public safety providers, and the circumstances in this case reflect a tremendous breach of that faith. The victim in this incident demonstrated enormous strength and courage in bringing this complaint forward,” Police Chief Thomas Wydra.
Powell was charged with first-degree sexual assault, first-degree unlawful restraint and released after posting a $25,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court in Meriden on Jan. 19.
Babson said AMR is cooperating fully with law enforcement in their investigation.
