WW man arrested for assault in the ER lobby
By Dan Thesman on Thursday, September 5th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – The Walla Walla Police Department arrested William Bradley Ostrander Jr., 36, of Walla Walla last Friday for allegedly assaulting another man inside the emergency room lobby at Providence St. Mary Medical Center.
Witnesses told police Ostrander stated to them he went to the hospital to get help because he wanted to harm himself. While waiting to be seen by the emergency room staff, Ostrander leaned over and put his arms around the throat of another man waiting in the lobby and placed the victim in a choke hold.
Witnesses estimated the choke hold lasted about one minute and that Ostrander made threatening remarks he was going to kill the victim.
A woman sitting nearby smashed an insulated coffee cup over Ostrander’s head before another man stepped in to help separate Ostrander and the victim.
While police were gathering statements from witnesses, Ostrander was standing with WWPD officers and hospital security and told he was not free to go. That’s when Ostrander attempted to flee, but a WWPD officer pushed him into a seat where he proceeded to kick the officer multiple times before being taken into custody.
Ostrander was booked into the Walla Walla County Jail for second-degree assault – strangulation/suffocation, third-degree assault, felony harassment – threats to kill, and resisting arrest.
