Council rejects $2,296 hospital bill from January incident

    Imperial residents, especially those residing between 10th and 11th Streets on Court, may remember the mid-January incident when a man was arrested after scuffling with law officers outside.
    After being handcuffed, the man was taken to Chase County Community Hospital, where he underwent a number of procedures for medical clearance that resulted in charges of $2,296.
    The city received the bill and addressed it at the council’s Monday night meeting.
    After a 15-minute closed session that included the council, City Attorney Josh Wendell and Police Chief Ryan Wisnieski, the council voted 4-0 against paying the bill.
    Before the closed session at the end of the meeting, however, some discussion ensued.
    At the time of the incident, officers from both the city police department and sheriff’s office were on scene and were concerned with possible drug use and hallucinations allegedly exhibited by the man.
    He was handcuffed by Imperial Officer Daniel Morales, and Sheriff’s Deputy Duncan Einspahr rode with the man in the ambulance to the hospital.
    Police Chief Ryan Wisnieski said he was made aware by the sheriff’s deputies that the jail here would not accept the man. He had received medical clearance from Dr. Hatz at the hospital.
    The man had active warrants on him in Colorado at the time. No charges were ever filed in Chase County. Wisnieski was unable to find another jail to take the man. Arrangements were then made to transfer him to Colorado. Wisnieski and Morales transported him to the border, where he was turned over to Phillips County, Colorado officers.

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