Gabriel Cruz, a 42-year-old traveling MRI technician from Grant-Valkaria arrested after a sedated patient reported an assault at HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital in Port St. Lucie, allegedly rubbed the patient's hair and cleaned her mouth with a white towel following the assault, according to a Port St. Lucie police report that provides new details about the Sept. 13 incident. Cruz, who had been working at the hospital under contract since August, faces a first-degree felony charge of sexual battery involving a physically helpless or incapacitated victim.
The criminal complaint says officers responded to the hospital on Sept. 14 shortly after 8 a.m. after the patient reported that an X-ray technician had sexually assaulted her during an MRI procedure the previous afternoon. The patient told investigators that Spanish is her primary language and that she had been admitted to the hospital after experiencing fainting spells and two falls that caused her to hit her head. She was transported from her room for an MRI at about 4 p.m. on Sept. 13.
The patient said medication made her drowsy and that she drifted in and out of sleep. She described the technician as a Hispanic man with a medium build who spoke Spanish and wore a blue shirt. The patient told police that after the MRI, she fell asleep and when she woke up, she alleged the technician had sexually assaulted her and was rubbing her hair. The report states that he then cleaned her mouth with a white towel before another person transported the patient back to her room.
Hospital staff identified the technician as Cruz. Police said surveillance video does not show inside the MRI room because there are no cameras there, but the video showed that Cruz was the only person in the room with the patient during that time. HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital released a statement that said the hospital does not tolerate behavior that jeopardizes the safety or security of patients. The hospital contacted law enforcement and ended Cruz's assignment when the allegation was reported and has assisted law enforcement throughout its investigation.