A 62-year-old Palo man is in custody following an alleged assault on a patient care technician at Mercy Medical Center on Friday evening, according to local law enforcement reports. Police were dispatched to the hospital for reports of an assault shortly before 6:40 p.m., leading to the arrest of Merlin L. Ricklefs on a felony charge.
Timeline of the Hospital Assault
According to a Linn County Attorney’s Office criminal complaint, the incident began around 6:30 p.m. when the patient care technician was assisting Ricklefs to the bathroom. During this assistance, Ricklefs attempted to grope her chest. The technician pushed him away, successfully got him to the bathroom, and returned to work on a computer located in his hospital room.
When Ricklefs exited the bathroom, the situation escalated. Police stated he made unwanted sexual contact with the victim’s groin and chest areas from behind over her clothing. As the technician attempted to pry his hands away, Ricklefs began to choke her from behind and broke equipment on her uniform. Other hospital staff intervened, stepping in to stop the attack before further injury occurred.
Charges and Admissions in Custody
Following the incident, officers read Ricklefs his Miranda rights, and he admitted to an officer that he was trying to rape the woman. The victim reported feeling Ricklefs’ hands and fingers trying to get into her groin through her clothes.
Ricklefs was arrested and taken into the Linn County Jail. He has been charged with assault with intent to commit sexual abuse resulting in bodily injury, which is a Class D felony carrying a potential sentence of up to five years in prison.
