Emergency medical technician arrested after 'indecent assault' on ambulance patient, authorities say

SUGAR LAND, Texas (KTRK) -- An emergency medical technician for a private ambulance company was arrested last week after the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said he indecently assaulted a quadriplegic woman in the back of an ambulance.

U.S. Marshals arrested Donavan Perkins Nov. 3 at an apartment complex on Buffalo Speedway, authorities said.

Eyewitness News broke the news of the arrest to the victim on Wednesday afternoon.

The victim said the assault occurred in April when an ambulance from Missouri Health Services picked her up from a physical therapy appointment at a Sugar Land hospital.

According to court documents, Perkins began rubbing his private parts against the victim's shoulder and used a pillow to block the ambulance driver's view.

The sheriff's office said he then exposed himself and asked the victim to perform a sex act on him.

When she refused, he allegedly pleasured himself and left a stain on the victim's shirt.

Investigators were able to identify him after he texted himself from the victim's phone and told her to call him if she ever needed any help.

When investigators tested the stain on the victim's shirt, they said it came back positive for semen and matched the DNA profile in another sexual assault case in Montgomery County.

In that case, Perkins is accused of engaging in a sex act with a patient.

Court documents say prosecutors declined to accept charges but didn't provide an explanation as to why.

Staff at the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office weren't in the office Wednesday due to the Veterans Day holiday.

In October, the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office did accept an indecent assault on a disabled individual charge against Perkins.

A representative for Missouri Health Services said Perkins was suspended pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

When Eyewitness News told the representative that Perkins had been arrested, he said Perkins was fired.