A Harrisburg man accused of punching a nurse at Butler Memorial Hospital saw charges held against him at a preliminary hearing Thursday, Aug. 24.

Imoan S. Hudson, 26, frequently interjected during the testimony of the nurse during the hearing before District Judge Kevin O’Donnell on Wednesday.

Hudson is represented by Charles Nedz, chief public defender, and has been in jail since the alleged assault occurred Aug. 5. He was charged with felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor simple assault and summary harassment and placed in Butler County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Police documents indicated the punch may have been a ploy to return to jail, as Hudson made requests to be incarcerated after his voluntary admittance to the hospital that weekend.

On Wednesday, assistant district attorney J.P. Kulzer called the nurse to testify as the only witness in the case. She recalled her first interactions with Hudson on Aug. 5 as being nonaggressive.

Later that day, the nurse said Hudson lunged at her as she explained some paperwork for his potential release.

“I told him if he was going to act like that I wasn’t going to stay in his room,” she said.

Hudson then returned to his bed and said he would consider his options regarding the paperwork, the nurse said. Hudson approached her later at the nurses station, she testified, and told her his heart was racing.

“Specifically, he said his heart was beating out of his chest, I was concerned and wanted to make sure nothing was medically wrong,” she said.

When she went to check Hudson’s vitals, the nurse said he turned as if to walk away.

“He turned out of nowhere and punched me in my left cheek and left shoulder,” she said.

She added that the impact of the punch pushed her into a computer cart, knocking it over.

Since Aug. 5, the nurse said she’s experienced PTSD and anxiety and has not been able to return to work.

During cross examination, Hudson attempted to interject, saying he wanted to testify.

“So I don’t have the opportunity to speak?” Hudson said.

“I’m advising that testifying would be a very bad idea,” Nedz said.

Nedz then asked the nurse about his client’s diagnosis during his hospital say, and directly following her answer, Hudson said it was inaccurate.

As the nurse explained an additional incident involving Hudson and a nurse during his hospital stay, Hudson interjected a third time. O’Donnell said he would be removed from the hearing if he spoke again.

Following cross examination, O’Donnell moved to hold all charges over for the Court of Common Pleas.