Vamella Marie Banks, 38, of Checotah, is facing charges of assaulting a police officer and a medical care provider as well as malicious injury to property under $1,000 in value and resisting an officer.
Associate District Judge Brendon Bridges on Friday, Oct. 27, entered a not guilty plea on behalf of the defendant and set bond at $25,000. Her pre-preliminary hearing conference will be held on Nov. 29 at 9 a.m.
Banks was arrested on July 27 after exhibiting bizarre behavior at a stranger’s residence in a rural area east of Eufaula.
Arresting officer Deputy Quinton Short said when he arrived at the scene he ended up in a battle with a suspect whose arms were covered in blood.
After her arrest, the suspect was taken to McAlester Regional Hospital and, because of the seriousness of the injuries to her arms, she was transported to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Short stated in his arrest report.
She spent several days in the hospital before being released into police custody and taken to the McIntosh County jail.
Short said he went to the rural McIntosh County residence after receiving a report that a woman was trying to break into a man’s home. “The caller advised that he did not know the woman,” said the probable cause affidavit.
When Short arrived at the scene he said he was met by a male in a wheelchair, identified as Mark Caldwell, owner of the residence.
Caldwell said a strange woman, later identified as Banks, was in a bedroom of the residence breaking things and a home health aid was locked in a bathroom.
With some difficulty, Short was able to get the suspect out of the bedroom, he said. “Once in the hallway, (Banks) began fighting with me and attempted to bite my left arm. (She) hit me with the back of her hand. I pushed (her) against the wall and was able to partially control one arm. Due to the fact Vamella’s arms were covered in blood, they were slick and hard to control her body movements,” Short said.
A second deputy, Jeff January, arrived and assisted in handcuffing the suspect.
“Once Vamella was placed into hand restraints, she began trying to kick me in the legs,” Short said.
An ambulance arrived and the EMS aid determined that the suspect was possibly under the influence of drugs and “could be overdosing,” according to the probable cause report.
The EMS administered Narcan to the suspect, which calmed her down, Short said.
But, while in the ambulance, the suspect allegedly bit one of the medics.
