JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville nursing assistant was arrested after a co-worker reported seeing him repeatedly push a disabled patient’s thigh at a Riverside care facility, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said.
Stephen Dale Jones, 60, was charged with abuse of a disabled adult without causing great bodily harm, a third-degree felony. He was arrested Oct. 6 at Riverside Post Acute Care, the report says.
The witness told JSO he heard Jones use profanity toward the patient before seeing him push the patient’s thigh while holding a television remote. The witness said he removed Jones from the area and took him to a manager’s office.
Jones told officers he was trying to stop the patient from potentially hurting herself while she was moving around with the remote. He denied using profanity or touching her legs, but said he took the remote in an aggressive manner, according to the report.
The patient was unable to provide details because of her mental condition, the report says. Her mother told officers the patient has advanced dementia and aphasia and generally can respond only “yes” or “no.” Officers reported seeing no injuries consistent with the patient harming herself.
Jones was booked into the jail. A court docket dated Oct. 7 shows a motion on bond was filed; the arrest report does not list a bond amount.
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