An ambulance worker accused of sexually assaulting a woman while she was strapped to a stretcher in the back of an ambulance had no comment as he walked into court on Thursday to face a judge.
Mark Powell, 49, of North Haven, first denied doing anything inappropriate, but then admitted to groping the breasts of his 22-year-old patient, pinching one of her nipples and penetrating her with a finger, according to the court documents.
Powell was working for American Medical Response when he 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, police said. She had been drinking at the party, the warrant stated.
The victim told police she woke up on the way to Yale–New Haven Hospital on Christmas Day and Powell was sexually assaulting her.
She was not able to move because she was strapped to a stretcher, she told police.
Powell was charged with first-degree sexual assault, first-degree unlawful restraint and released after posting a $25,000 bond. Powell told police he had used a "serious lapse of judgment," according to the warrant.
He appeared in court on Thursday and defense attorney Norm Pattis asked the judge to dismiss the charges.
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The judge denied the request and the judge issued a protective order for the victim.
Pattis objected to a protective order.
"It's much like telling him to stay away from Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. He wouldn't know how to find him if he wanted to," Pattis said.
"I have serious, serious questions about the accuracy of what the police reported. Clearly, it was an awkward situation but as reported I understand why you're here. Sounds outrageous. We think the truth is not outrageous," Pattis said.
Hamden Police detectives began investigating and identified the suspect as Powell. They obtained an arrest warrant and Powell turned himself in to police custody.
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.
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's case has been transferred to New Haven Superior Court, where more serious cases from this part of the state are heard.
He'll be back before a judge on Tuesday.
