A 35-year-old man was arrested in Reddick after he was accused of battering two Marion County Fire Rescue emergency medical technicians.
On Monday, at approximately 2:30 p.m., a Marion County Sheriff’s Office corporal and two deputies responded to the 5000 block of NW 135th Street in Reddick in reference to a battery incident. Upon arrival, the corporal and deputies made contact with an MCFR employee who had witnessed the incident, according to the MCSO report.
The witness advised that contact was made with a man, identified as John Patrick Croughin, who was unresponsive in a pickup truck on the side of the road. The witness stated that a sternum rub technique was utilized to wake up Croughin. After being asked several basic medical questions, Croughin refused medical treatment, according to the MCSO report.
The MCSO report stated that the witness and other crew members left Croughin in the truck and spoke with one of his relatives who was at the scene. The relative proceeded to approach Croughin, but he was unresponsive.
Crew members from MCFR’s Rescue 9 and Station 11, which included the two firefighter/paramedic victims, returned to Croughin and were unable to wake him up. The MCSO report stated that the time period between the first and second interactions with Croughin was approximately three to five minutes.
MCFR crew members proceeded to place a stretcher in position to remove Croughin from the back seat of the pickup truck. As crew members began to pull Croughin out of the truck to render medical aid, he woke up and began punching and kicking, according to the MCSO report.
The report stated that Croughin struck the first victim on the left side of the face. Crew members managed to get Croughin out of the pickup truck, and he struck the second victim on the right side of the head, which broke the second victim’s prescription glasses ($300 value).
The rescue crew held Croughin down on the ground while he “continuously fought them” until the corporal and deputies arrived on scene. Croughin was detained in handcuffs by the deputies, and both victims advised that they wanted to pursue charges against Croughin.
The corporal made contact with Croughin. After being read his Miranda rights, Croughin stated that he was asleep in the back of his pickup truck when he was awakened by MCFR personnel, according to the MCSO report.
Croughin advised that he refused medical treatment and fell back asleep. Moments later, he stated that he was awakened again by the crew members who were pulling him out of the vehicle. He stated that it felt like he was “being kidnapped,” which is why he kicked and punched, according to the report.
The corporal noted in the report that Croughin claimed he did not intentionally strike any of the MCFR personnel. He told the corporal that he is “not a violent person.”
Croughin was arrested and transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. After being medically cleared, he was transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $11,000 bond. He is facing felony charges for battery on a firefighter/EMT (two counts) and a misdemeanor charge for criminal mischief with property damage over $200 but under $1,000.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.