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BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jerimiah Bo Huffman, 44, was arrested early this morning and charged with simple battery and interfering with firefighting after allegedly threatening two employees of HCA Florida North Florida Hospital with a fire hydrant and then spraying them.
Huffman had been admitted to the hospital for psychiatric care but reportedly ran from the hospital without being medically cleared to leave. A nurse followed him to the second floor of the parking garage, where Huffman allegedly began swinging a fire hydrant aggressively in an attempt to hit her. After he was unsuccessful in hitting her, he allegedly sprayed her with the fire extinguisher.
A security guard also followed Huffman to the second floor of the parking garage, where Huffman also allegedly tried to hit him with the fire extinguisher and then sprayed him.
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Post Miranda, Huffman reportedly said he left the hospital to smoke a cigarette and get his car. When he was followed by hospital staff, he said he picked up the fire extinguisher and began swinging it back and forth so they would leave him alone; he said he sprayed them so they would back away.
The Gainesville Police Department officer who responded to the call reported that he found an empty fire extinguisher nearby.
Huffman has no criminal history; Judge Thomas Jaworski ordered that he be screened for Veterans Treatment Court and released if he is able to abide by the requirements of the program.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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