PORTLAND, Ore.—A woman filed a lawsuit Thursday against an ambulance company and one of its former paramedics claiming she was groped while she was being transported to the hospital.
Royshekka Herring was transported by American Medical Response Inc. after she passed out at her home on Dec. 8 and her children called 911.
In her lawsuit, Herring claims that paramedic Lannie Haszard touched her pubic area while she was semiconscious.
Haszard, 61, has been charged with sexual abuse.
Police say Haszard admitted touching Herring inappropriately and wrote an apology after an interview with detectives.
The note said: “I am very sorry I did this to you. . . . Please accept my deepest apologies for my actions during our contact. . . . I will attempt to seek some help so I do not ever do anything like this again,” according to court documents.
An American Medical Response spokeswoman said Haszard was fired after his arrest on Monday.
Calls to company officials at AMR headquarters in Colorado late Thursday seeking comment on the lawsuit were not immediately returned.
The lawsuit against AMR and Haszard was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court. It alleges battery and negligent retention and supervision with damages to be determined at trial.
The criminal charges against Haszard were expected to be heard by a grand jury in the next week. He was being held on $500,000 bail with another hearing set for Dec. 19.
Another woman had reported a similar incident with the same paramedic in April, but the police inquiry was suspended after a month. Prosecutors will be looking at that complaint again.
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Information from: The Oregonian,
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Information from: The Oregonian,
