By Roger Lanse

On Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, at about 11:53 p.m. a Silver City Police Department officer responded to the Gila Regional Medical Center regarding a male trespassing. According to an SCPD incident report, an ER doctor was concerned that Michael White, 48, homeless, was abusing the medical system by repeatedly calling for ambulance service. The doctor advised that White, upon being discharged, would immediately call for an ambulance seeking medical services, but in reality, he only wanted to avoid being out in the cold weather.

The officer verified that White had an active criminal trespass warning for GRMC unless the visit was for a legitimate medical reason. The ER doctor stated she had exhausted all necessary procedures for White and requested law enforcement assistance to remove him from the hospital.

The officer contacted White, who was in a medical bed in an ER room. White refused to move saying he couldn't walk, although he was seen walking just an hour before when he was discharged, the report said. White resisted efforts to remove him from the bed and then stood up and '"abruptly threw himself to the floor," refusing to stand. Officers escorted White to a patrol unit and placed him under arrest for criminal trespass.

The report stated White was issued a new CTW specifically for GRMC and transported to the Grant County Detention Center and booked on a charge of criminal trespass.