Man summoned for groping Rust nurse

Rodriguez Craig Johnson, about 28, of Gallup, was summoned for three counts of battery upon a health care worker Nov. 25 at Presbyterian Rust Medical Center.

Officers responded to a report from the hospital that Johnson was acting disorderly toward medical personnel. They asked him what had taken place between him and the medical personnel, and he said, “Nothing.”

Officers then talked to the victim, a registered nurse who is employed with Rust Medical Center, who said Rio Rancho paramedics had brought Johnson into the emergency room of the hospital. She said as she was talking with Johnson and inquiring what his chief complaint was he all of a sudden reached in her direction and forcefully grabbed both her breasts in a sexual way and squeezed. The victim said she screamed and yelled at him not to touch her. She said he let go but then grabbed onto her again. She yelled at him again to stop and not to touch her. Again he let go of her. He went to grab her again but she deflected him.

The victim said other staff then responded to the area and separated them.

Another registered nurse said he was in a different room from the victim but he heard her yelling “Stop! Don’t touch me!” three times. He said he responded to the area and saw there was an altercation taking place between her and Johnson and took Johnson away from the victim. Johnson was left in the care of the male nurse pending medical attention.

She said she wasn’t injured but she felt violated.

Johnson will face anywhere from 18 months to 10 years in prison if he is convicted.