Hospital patient suffers skull fracture after attack by another patient

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

Brian Dewayne Edwards, 47, was arrested yesterday afternoon after allegedly attacking another patient at the North Florida Regional Medical Center (NFRMC) Behavioral Health Unit while he was sleeping. The victim suffered a fractured skull, broken nose, and brain bleed, resulting in facial paralysis and vision loss.

According to accounts from NFRMC and surveillance video, Edwards, who was at the time a patient at NFRMC, entered the room of the victim while the victim was sleeping. Edwards allegedly began punching and kicking the victim with his fists and feet, then picked up a chair and threw it at the victim; the chair hit a wall, leaving a hole in the wall.

An NFRMC employee entered the room and reportedly told Edwards to stop; another employee reportedly pulled Edwards from the room.

A Gainesville Police Department officer arrived and detained Edwards. Post Miranda, Edwards reportedly admitted kicking the victim once and punching him 5-6 times, as well as throwing the chair at him. Edwards reportedly said that he believed the victim assaulted him.

Edwards was a patient in the Behavioral Health Unit who reportedly suffers from a delusion of being assaulted and had told staff that he thought his landlord had assaulted him.

The victim reportedly suffered a skull fracture, broken nose, and brain bleed, with facial paralysis and vision loss. He was transported to UF Health Shands for trauma care.

Edwards has been charged with felony battery and is being held on $50,000 bail.

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.