A Ringgold woman was arrested in Fort Oglethorpe on battery charges after she allegedly attacked several members of the hospital staff at Hutcheson Medical Center, police say.

Christian Morgan Mercer-Smith, 21, of Rolling Hills, was arrested Jan. 14 on charges of battery, simple battery, two counts of obstruction of officers, and disorderly conduct. She has been released on bond.

Officers were dispatched to Hutcheson just after 9 p.m. regarding a patient physically assaulting staff.  Hospital staff said Mercer-Smith became very combative and was fighting nurses when they tried to treat her,

Mercer-Smith got in to a scuffle with one nurse to the point where the two were on the ground, with Mercer-Smith allegedly pulling a large lock of the woman’s hair from her scalp.

Mercer-Smith also became combative with officers when they tried to escort her to the patrol car, reports show. She also screamed profanity at officers while being taken away and tried to brace her foot against the doorframe to keep from being taken to the patrol car.

According a second officer on scene, a spit mask had to be applied to Mercer-Smith’s mouth area after she attempted to bite an officer’s hand.

(Walker County Messenger)