King George woman charged in hospital altercation

A King George woman has been charged with attempted carjacking as the result of a bizarre incident Sunday morning outside the emergency room at Mary Washington Hospital, police said.

Fredericksburg police spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe said the incident began about 8:15 a.m. A 19-year-old woman who recently had a baby had come to the emergency room to seek medical attention related to her recent delivery.

She was sitting in her car when the suspect tapped on the driver’s side window and asked for a ride. The victim refused and the suspect, who had a cloth wrapped around her hand, threatened to pull out a gun.

The victim didn’t believe the suspect and began walking into the hospital. Bledsoe said the suspect than attacked the woman, pulled her hair and tried to snatch the car keys from her hand. The victim punched the suspect in the face, breaking her hold, and continued on into the hospital.

A security officer called police and reported an altercation involving two female patients. But he didn’t know what the dispute was about, and the victim was not around when officers arrived. Police later learned that she had been taken to a room.

Meanwhile, the security officer pointed out the suspect, who had been in the emergency room prior to the incident, and an officer spoke to her and got her information. She was then allowed to leave.

It wasn’t until later Sunday that police were able to catch up with the victim. A warrant was obtained Wednesday for 22-year-old Rishelle Newman.

Newman had not been arrested as of Thursday, Bledsoe said.