A man sexually assaults a stroke patient and then hides naked in a trash can, according to police in Georgia

A man accused of stripping naked and sexually assaulting a stroke patient who was sleeping in a hospital room remains behind bars, according to Georgia police.

Investigators said 24-year-old Shamon Pearce hid in a trash can for more than an hour after the frightening incident at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.

Pearce was arrested on charges including sexual assault in the Sept. 27 attack, which was first reported by WSB-TV.

He told police that he was “high and smoking drugs” before “attacking” the woman and going to bed with her, adding that he was “just trying something new,” according to the incident report obtained by McClatchy News is called.

McClatchy News reached out to Grady Memorial Hospital for comment on Friday, Oct. 4, and was awaiting a response.

Hospital staff first spotted Pearce in an elevator and said he lit what they thought was a cigarette, but it turned out to be a crack pipe, the report said .

Employees got off the elevator with Pearce and alerted hospital security, authorities said. However, the “suspicious” man is accused of sneaking away while they waited for security forces to arrive.

Moments later, a nurse heard a commotion coming from a patient’s room and ran to see what was happening, the report said. Police said they “immediately” saw Pearce and the patient “both naked on the floor.”

The nurse “took pictures from her phone while asking other nurses to respond,” police said. “They tried to lock Mr Pearce in the room to stop him escaping, but he was too strong and overpowered them.”

According to police, Pearce fled the room still naked while nurses chased him. They lost him when he fell into a stairwell, police said.

Security video showed Pearce in the basement, where authorities said he hid in a trash can for over an hour. According to police, he used a hospital gown he found in the trash can to cover up before leaving the hospital.

Officers eventually located him under a nearby bridge, according to the report.

Back at the hospital, police spoke with the patient, who was reportedly recovering from a stroke. The 47-year-old told police she had seen Pearce in the hospital a few times but did not know him personally.

She said she woke up and saw the strange man trying to put a blanket over her head, the incident report said. He became aggressive when she questioned him and then climbed on top of her, she said.

They both fell out of bed as she fought him off, police said, and screamed for help.

According to the report, the woman hit her head when she fell and complained of leg pain. Pearce’s clothing and a suspected crack pipe were later recovered from the hospital room, police said.

Grady Memorial Hospital addressed the incident in a statement, telling WSB-TV, “The safety of our patients, staff and visitors is our top priority.” Grady will take additional steps to enhance safety measures throughout the hospital. “

The changes include locking all inpatient rooms and requiring a badge for entry, installing a “robust” visitor management system and improving overall security, the station reported.

Pearce remained in custody at the Fulton County Jail as of Oct. 4 on a $10,000 bond, online records show.

If you have experienced sexual assault and need someone to talk to, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline for support at 1-800-656-4673 or visit the hotline’s online chat room.

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