A 44-year-old woman was arrested Monday after punching a nurse at Bloomington Hospital who was trying to help her.\nSusan Merrill was arrested for battery on a health care provider, a class D felony, said Bloomington Police Department Detective Sgt. Jeff Canada, reading from the police report.\nMerrill, who was transported to the hospital for being too intoxicated and causing a disturbance in the 3000 block of South Walnut Street punched the female nurse, 26, in the arm who was trying to get her into a hospital gown, Canada said. The nurse complained only of pain, he said. Merrill was then transported to the Monroe County Jail. Merrill told officers that she did not punch the nurse, and then accused the nurse of lying, Canada said.
Police arrest man driving recklessly through streets
Bloomington police chased a speeding car for almost two miles Monday night before arresting the man for reckless driving, among other charges.\nRyan T. Rene, 27, was arrested for resisting law enforcement, a class D felony, and reckless driving, a misdemeanor, said BPD Detective Sgt. Jeff Canada, reading from the police report. Rene was also cited for speeding, driving left of center, disregarding a stop sign and disregarding a traffic signal, Canada said.\nAccording to the report, BPD Officer Randy Gehlhausen was driving west on Hillside Drive when he saw a man in a white Jeep Cherokee going 55 mph in a 30 mph zone. The officer turned his car around as Rene took a left onto Nancy Street and then Viva Drive at a “very high rate of speed,” Canada said. There were many pedestrians present in addition to heavy traffic, and Rene was traveling more than double the speed limit, Canada said.\nWhen Rene turned right onto High Street he disregarded a stop sign and then starting driving left of center. He then turned left on a red light and his vehicle was on two wheels as it went around a roundabout, Canada said. \nThe Jeep finally stopped at Showplace Cinemas as police ordered him to get out of the vehicle. At first the man refused to get out, Canada said. Once Rene was out of the car police had no trouble taking him into custody, Canada said.\nRene was taken to Monroe County Jail after telling officers he’d been with a female driver who attempted to dodge police by driving into a residential area, and he thought he could get away doing the same thing, Canada said.
