Denver Paramedic Accused of Patient Assault

DENVER --

A former Denver Health paramedic is accused of beating a seizure patient so severely that he broke the victim's nose and eye socket and fractured his skull, according to an arrest affidavit released Friday.

Allan Miller, 30, was arrested Thursday afternoon on investigation of assault, false imprisonment and false reporting to authorities, police said. He remains in custody on $50,000 bond.

According to the affidavit, 39-year-old Tim Smith suffered a seizure and hit his head at his home on the night of Jan. 3.

The paramedic who was driving him to Denver Health told police she heard what sounded like punching coming from the back of the ambulance.

Shaunna King "observed Miller punch Smith in the stomach and in the face" and "watched Miller strike Smith in the side of the head with his right elbow," the affidavit said.

King said she had stopped the ambulance because Smith slipped out of his restraints and four police officers were called to help restrain him. The officers said when they arrived, they saw "a large amount of blood throughout the ambulance" and Smith was bleeding profusely from his nose and mouth.

King told investigators, "There was no reason for the patient to be handled the way he was."

Smith's wife, Suzanne Smith, told police her husband didn't have the skull, nose and eye socket injuries when he was loaded into the ambulance.

Police said Smith might not be Miller's only victim and are continuing to investigate Miller's conduct. There might be additional charges if additional victims are found.

The president of the Denver Paramedics Union, Bob Petre, said this is a serious allegation. Petre said there have been many recent issues with Denver Health's paramedics division, including poor response times and difficulty retaining quality, skilled professionals.

Petre said there's a lack of accountability with the program as it stands today. He called on city leaders like Mayor John Hickenlooper to "seriously consider" taking control of the Denver Health paramedics division so that accountability can fall on the shoulders of the council and the mayor's office.

"People expect professional and compassionate care from paramedics," said Petre.

The paramedic who was driving said there was no way Smith should have been treated the way he was last month.

DH said Miller is no longer employed by the medical center.

The paramedics union has been critical of how Denver Health has been managing Denver's ambulance service -- a problem documented by Call7 Investigators.

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