By Jim Clark

Police were summoned to the Somerville Hospital Emergency Room last week on reports of a patient behaving violently.

Upon arrival, the responding officers were met by the reporting party, a nurse on duty in the ER, who was visibly shaken, according to police reports.

The nurse reportedly told the officers that a man, Thomas Miller, 32, tried to punch her as she was checking on his condition.

Miller had reportedly been admitted to the ER for treatment for alcohol intoxication. According to the nurse’s statements, she and another nurse approached Miller as he was lying in a hospital bed and questioned him regarding his condition. It was at that time that Miller allegedly attempted to hit one of the nurses.

The officers went to the room where Miller was and noted that he was screaming profanities at the hospital security guard.

The officers reportedly asked Miller to calm down, but instead he began shouting at them and threw his shirt at one of them.

The officers escorted Miller outside and attempted to calm him down. They could smell alcohol on his breath, police said.

Miller reportedly refused to calm down and cooperate and spat at the officers.

He was subsequently placed under arrest and charged with assault on ambulance personnel and assault and battery on a police officer.