A man was charged with three felonies after police said he pulled a stethoscope across an emergency department nurse's throat at Auburn Community Hospital, making it difficult for the nurse to breathe.
The attack was reported about 10 a.m. Sept. 22 at the hospital, 17 Lansing St., according to a Sept. 28 release from the Auburn Police Department.
Police identified the man as Christopher Titus and said he lunged at the nurse, grabbed both ends of a stethoscope hanging around the nurse's neck and crossed it over the front of the nurse's throat.
The nurse got their hands beneath the stethoscope after several seconds, relieved the pressure and freed themself, police said.
Titus left the hospital before officers arrived, according to police.
Officers located and arrested him Sept. 23.
Police charged Titus with second-degree strangulation and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both Class D felonies, and attempted second-degree assault, a Class E felony.
Titus was arraigned in Auburn City Court and remanded to the Cayuga County Jail.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.