A Fraser public safety officer is facing an assault and battery charge after prosecutors say she struck a detained person in the face several times at a Warren hospital last month. Bianca Denise Allen was arraigned Nov. 12 at 37th District Court in Warren, and she has been suspended without pay as the case moves forward.
According to Macomb Daily, the alleged incident happened on Oct. 6 at Henry Ford Hospital in Warren, where Allen had brought a person she arrested after describing them as uncooperative and combative. Prosecutors said the person had consumed an unknown substance during the arrest and was restrained at the hospital for emergency treatment when the alleged assault occurred.
What Prosecutors Say Led to the Altercation
Macomb County prosecutors said the restrained patient swore at and spat upon Allen before she allegedly struck the person in the face several times, the outlet reports. The assault and battery charge Allen now faces is classified as a 93-day misdemeanor, carrying a maximum penalty under Michigan law of up to 93 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both, when no other specific punishment applies.
Judge Steven Bieda set Allen's personal bond at $5,000 following her arraignment, The Macomb Daily's report notes. She is scheduled to appear for a pretrial conference before Judge Suzanne Faunce on Dec. 15.
Prosecutor Pledges Equal Treatment Under the Law
Prosecutor Peter Lucido said accountability must be impartial and that the law must apply equally to everyone, regardless of profession. “No one receives special treatment because of a badge, position or title,” Lucido said, adding that the law applies equally to everyone, including those sworn to enforce it.
The case against Allen remains in its early stages, with her next court date set for next month. No additional details about the identity of the detained person or that person's account of the incident have been released.
