A violent attack on an emergency room nurse at Clifton Springs Hospital is drawing attention to a surge of assaults on healthcare workers and fueling debate over proposed legislation that would tighten pretrial detention rules for repeat offenders.
According to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the Byrne Dairy on County Road 50 on August 18 for a report of a suspicious person. Deputies say Alyna Ann Lindenau, who is listed as homeless, was found in possession of illegal drugs and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Lindenau was transported by EMS to Clifton Springs Hospital for evaluation. While there, deputies say she struck a nurse, resulting in a second-degree assault charge.
Nurse describes attack in hospital
Now, the nurse who was assaulted is speaking out. Ehren Strohm, a registered nurse since 2019 who has spent her career in emergency care and has worked at Clifton Springs Hospital for the last two years, said Lindenau struck her with such force that her knee bent backward and popped. Strohm, who began travel nursing in 2021 and is now nearing completion of a graduate program to become a family nurse practitioner, said the injury has also halted her clinical training.
“My coworkers heard it from down the hall,” she said. “I am non-weight bearing, in a knee immobilizer, on crutches and out of work. This assault has completely flipped my world upside down physically and mentally.”
Strohm said the full scope of the injury is still unknown. She also noted that Lindenau has a history of violence against healthcare workers and active warrants. But this is anything but an isolated incident, as healthcare professionals across the board are dealing with increased violence in the workplace.
A 2024 national survey found that 82% of nurses experienced workplace violence in the previous year, while nearly half reported violence had increased and 60% said they had considered leaving their jobs because of it, according to the HIPAA Journal. The American Hospital Association estimated that hospitals spent $18.27 billion in 2023 addressing workplace violence, from security and prevention training to medical care for injured staff. Nationally, healthcare workers are five times more likely than other occupations to be assaulted on the job, and they account for 73% of all nonfatal violent workplace injuries, according to the American College of Surgeons.
“Almost every shift I work, my coworkers are assaulted in some way. Monday alone, two other coworkers were physically assaulted by two other patients before my assault occurred. This is not okay and something must change. Enough is enough,” Strohm said.
Lawmakers push PROTECT Act in response to repeat offenders
The case comes as state lawmakers consider new legislation aimed at curbing violent repeat offenses and addressing concerns raised by cases like Lindenau’s. The “Pretrial Risk Overview for Threat Evaluation, Custody, and Treatment (PROTECT) Act” was introduced in January with bipartisan support.
The measure is being led by Sen. Pam Helming locally and would require courts to use a statewide risk assessment instrument for all defendants charged with felonies or Class A misdemeanors. This tool would evaluate the defendant’s risk to public safety and likelihood of reoffending based on factors such as:
- Nature of the charges, particularly if they involve violence.
- Prior criminal history, including violent felonies, failures to appear, and escape attempts.
- Known access to weapons.
- Gang or criminal enterprise ties.
- Past threats or intimidation of witnesses.
- Residency and community ties.
Under the bill, judges would be prohibited from releasing a defendant in these cases until the assessment is reviewed. Defendants arrested for a new felony or serious misdemeanor while already released would be automatically remanded to jail pending arraignment, with release only possible if a judge determines the risk of reoffense can be adequately mitigated.
The legislation also allows courts to refer defendants with severe mental health needs to treatment instead of incarceration, a move sponsors say balances public safety with rehabilitation.
Supporters argue the PROTECT Act closes dangerous gaps in New York’s bail reform laws, which critics say have allowed violent offenders to cycle in and out of custody.
What’s next? PROTECT Act sits in committee
For Strohm, the debate is not theoretical. She said the assault underscores the urgent need for stronger protections for frontline healthcare workers and consequences for repeat offenders.
After being discharged from the hospital Lindenau was taken to the Ontario County Jail for centralized arraignment. She is also expected to appear in Clifton Springs Town Court at a later date.
“I will not be silent or live in fear of this individual. I will continue to fight for her to be held accountable for her actions,” Strohm said.
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