A woman who was reported to have supposed to be caring for a family member home from the hospital and recovering instead was charged with assault, and ultimately knocked herself out cold inside of the squad car taking her to jail, according to A Polk County Police report.
Amelia Ellan Dawson, 31, of a Rockmart address, was taken into custody by Polk County Police after arriving on a Stonebrook Drive scene on Wednesday just a few minutes after 11:20 a.m. and found her outside the home “very loud and upset.” Police before arriving noted that the address had a prior history of violence reported to the PCPD.
Upon further investigation and statements from victims involved, Dawson was supposed to be acting as caregiver for a family member just days removed from the hospital. Instead, reports stated that Dawson admitted to taking a Clonazepam, smoked marijuana, and had a drink prior another family member arriving to check on the patient.
Dawson and the patient had an altercation, and Dawson was found standing over the patient while they flailed on the bed. She had previously been reported to have smacked the patient across the face and threw a tennis ball at her head. Dawson is also alleged to have kept phones away from the patient to keep from calling for help.
When pushed out of the patient’s room at the Rockmart-area residence, the report stated that Dawson lost control of her temper and threw glass plates in the dining room and garage, banged and kicked on the locked bedroom door enough to damage it.
Police took Dawson into custody on charges of simple assault, criminal trespass and battery. While being taken into custody, Dawson threatened a family member on the scene with death and also threatened suicide.
Though officers ensured she was buckled in safely in the back of the squad car, Dawson got out of her seatbelt moments after leaving to head to jail and began to slam her head against the partition between front seat and back.
The officer requested help from Redmond EMS, and while stopped for a train at Coot’s Lake Road tried, the officer tried to stop the bleeding himself. EMS arrived, and Dawson struggled with first responders who tried to help but were refused despite bleeding profusely from the forehead.
Back in the squad car and again on the way to the jail, Dawson got unbuckled again and this time slammed herself so hard on the partition she knocked herself out cold.
Police took her to Polk Medical Center’s Emergency room for treatment, and finally took her to the Polk County Jail for booking.
Dawson ultimately was charged with a felony for terroristic threats and acts, and misdemeanors for disorderly conduct, simple assault under the family violence act, criminal trespass and battery under the family violence act.
She remained in jail as of this posting with no bond set.
