REDDING — On February 20th just after 8 AM, 29-year-old James Jeffrey French arrived at the Mercy Medical Center ER for an unknown reason.
While being assessed at the admission window, French made an unprovoked threat to kill the admitting nurse. When she attempted to call security, he grabbed her by the throat and began choking her. He then forced her up against the admission window and punched her several times before throwing her to the ground and placing her in a headlock.
Another admissions clerk pulled French off and several bystanders held him down until security arrived.
French, as it turns out, is on parole after doing time for assault. Since his release, he’s had a myriad of arrests on several charges including obstructing or resisting a peace officer, making terrorist threats, and violating parole.
He has been arrested and booked into the Shasta County Jail for assault with likelihood of great bodily injury, battery upon a nurse, terrorist threats, and parole violation.
