Gilbert John Houle, 54, Minot, is charged in district court in Minot with striking nursing staff on Wednesday at the Trinity Hospital emergency room. He is charged in district court in Minot with Class C felony simple assault on emergency personnel.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed with the court, Houle was angry because nurses had told him that he needed to leave the hospital because his room was needed. Houle lashed out at them when they tried to cut off his wristband and tried to punch one man in the face, grabbed the man’s glasses and ripped them off his face, leaving a laceration beneath his ear. Houle also kicked the other man twice.

Houle was supposed to have been discharged from the hospital hours earlier but staff had let him stay while he looked for a ride.