DULUTH, Minn. – A patient is accused of assaulting a registered nurse in Essentia Duluth’s Emergency Department on July 24, a criminal complaint alleges.
A registered nurse in Essentia Health’s Duluth emergency department was left with a four-inch bruise after they were allegedly punched by a patient last Thursday. Sanchez Benito Urrutia, 28, of Duluth, is charged with fourth-degree assault of a hospital personnel. According to the criminal complaint, the incident began when Urrutia was found ”extremely intoxicated and unresponsive in a motor vehicle.”
Urrutia was brought to the emergency department in the early morning hours of July 24, and at around 3:15 a.m. Duluth Police responded to Essentia for reports of an assault. The victim reported that they were “attempting to have [Urrutia] lay down onto the gurney, [Urrutia] used his right fist and brought it straight forward and struck the Victim with his right elbow and then his fist struck the Victim’s right arm.”
A responding officer reported the victim had “an approximately 4”x4” red and darkened bruise on his arm.”
Urrutia is currently serving probation on a 2022 case, where he shot a 9mm pistol into the air while standing in a crowd outside Ace’s Bar in Duluth. He ultimately pleaded guilty to recklessly discharging a weapon and carrying a pistol in public without a permit.
The Twin Ports Report 