Gainesville Police arrested a homeless man for hitting and spitting on two EMT rescue squad members on Bo Diddley Plaza on Saturday.
Officers arrested and charged Peter E. Bergman, 55, on two counts of battery on an emergency medical care provider, according to a police report.
Bergman was found lying on his back with a large scratch and bruise on the back of his head due to a previous fight where he was knocked unconscious by a punch.
When EMTs arrived to take Bergman to the hospital, he was asked questions to figure out his condition, according to the report. He said he couldn’t tell what time or day it was.
Bergman kicked and swung his arms at a GPD officer, Alachua County Fire Rescue Services and Gainesville Fire Rescue officials while he was on a stretcher and struck a GFR technician in the shoulder and leg.
After Bergman’s actions, an officer placed him under arrest, according to the report. Bergman then spat on another EMT.
“Bergman required medical treatment due to his extreme level of intoxication,” GPD spokesman Ben Tobias wrote in an email.
Officers later located and arrested Bergman back on Bo Diddley Plaza after being released from UF Health Shands Hospital, Tobias said.
“The initial officer made the decision to hold the charges until after his release,” Tobias said.
Officers booked Bergman into the Alachua County Jail on Saturday at about 7:30 a.m. As of press time, his bond is set at $5,000.
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 7/8/2014 under the headline "Police say drunk homeless man hit, kicked and spat at EMTs"]
