Condition of injured Atascadero State Hospital worker upgraded

A psychiatric technician at Atascadero State Hospital was hospitalized in intensive care Wednesday night after allegedly being attacked by an ASH patient, the California Department of State Hospitals confirmed.

By Friday afternoon, the employee was removed from the intensive care unit at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo and upgraded to fair condition, hospital spokesman Ron Yukelson said.

In a prepared statement, the Department of State Hospitals said the attack happened in a hallway just after 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, but did not provide any details about the alleged assault. State Hospital officials said the patient was arrested on suspicion of assault resulting in great bodily injury, battery and elder abuse and booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail, but could not identify the patient.

According to jail logs, the ASH Police Department booked Henry Pellouchoud Scholten, 36, on suspicion of those charges at 3:54 a.m. Thursday. He remained in custody Friday afternoon in lieu of $50,000 bail, though it was unclear if he is eligible for bail.

Three other staff members reportedly suffered minor injuries while responding to the attack, state hospitals said in the statement.

The state agency is not confirming the identity of the hospitalized employee, but two sources in a position to know the information have told The Tribune that he is 68 years old. It is the Tribune’s policy not to name victims of violent crime. The sources who identified the victim asked not to be named because they’re not authorized to talk to the media.

State Hospitals spokesman Ralph Montano said he could not confirm information from the sources that claim the technician was left alone in a hallway when he was attacked by a patient with a coffee mug, which the sources said is an item not allowed in the unit where the technician was working when he was attacked. Sources said the technician was hit in the head, causing bleeding in the brain.

Montano said Friday afternoon that the investigation into the alleged assault is ongoing.

This story was originally published February 25, 2016 at 8:07 PM with the headline "Condition of injured Atascadero State Hospital worker upgraded."