News

Elderly Man Accused of Assaulting Chicago Paramedic Held on $250K Bail

01/15/2017

Jan. 15--A 72-year-old man from the Chatham neighborhood was ordered held on $250,000 bail Saturday for allegedly attacking and attempted to sexually assault a female paramedic as she and her partner took the man to an area hospital following a traffic crash earlier this week.

Dressed in a long grey wool overcoat, a frail-looking Roy U. Hill leaned forward against the judge's bench to balance himself as he stood before a Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. on charges of aggravated battery to a peace officer and attempted aggravated criminal sexual assault.

The victim, a 36-year-old female Chicago Fire Department paramedic and her partner were transporting Hall to Northwestern Memorial Hospital after his vehicle struck a pole in the 3300 block of South King Drive about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, officials said just after the incident.

When the ambulance was about two blocks from the hospital, prosecutors said Hall began to struggle with his neck brace and tried to take it off. When the victim, who was in the rear of the ambulance, tried aiding Hall, he allegedly grabbed the paramedic's hand, forcing her to pull away. Hall then began swinging his arms and struck the woman in the chest multiple times, authorities said.

Hall then grabbed the victim's hair and her radio strap, pulling her down toward his groin and began saying lewd comments to her, according to Assistant State's Attorney Bryan Grissman. During the struggle, Hall punched the victim in the ribs about 15 times, Grissman said.

Hall continued pulling the victim's hair, attempting to pull her toward his genitals and on top of him while continuously making crude comments. The victim's partner, who was driving the ambulance, heard the struggle after pulling into the hospital and pried the older man's hands off the victim's hair with the help of hospital security, Grissman said.

The victim was examined for internal bruises at the hospital, but was treated and released. Hall was treated for injuries he sustained in the crash and was taken into custody.