Newport Police Called Out Twice To Newport Medical Center

Newport police had to be called to the Newport Medical Center twice over the weekend due to unruly patients. First on Saturday afternoon, security called for law enforcement because a patient, 19 year old Garrett Ziegler refused to stay in his room and had been slamming the door to his room, disrupting other patients. Ziegler had also punched several holes in the drywall of the room he was in doing around $500 worth of damage. Officers had been called Friday because Ziegler was doing the same things. On Saturday, he was discharges from the hospital and transported to the Cocke County jail charges with vandalism and disorderly conduct.

On Sunday afternoon, officers were called to the medical center for a second unruly patient. Security informed police that 21 year old Sarah Phillips had been hitting her head against the observation room wall, and had left a hole in the wall. When security tried to stop her, she attempted to bite the security officer. Officers were familiar with Phillips due to prior encounters with her. She resisted when officers tried to take her into custody, but finally complied with their commands and was transported to the Cocke County jail. She has also been charged with vandalism and disorderly conduct, but is also charged with assault.