Hearing set for man accused of threatening emergency room personnel with knife

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A preliminary hearing has been set for 9 a.m. Friday in Warren District Court for a man accused of pulling a knife out at The Medical Center emergency room and lunging at two employees.

Bowling Green police charged James Cline, 41, Sunday with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, two counts of second-degree wanton endangerment and one count each of menacing and terroristic threatening.

A police officer was at the hospital assisting with a call when the emergency room staff called out for help because a man had a knife, according to Cline’s arrest citation.

Police saw Cline with an open knife in his hand while in a treatment room. He was screaming, pacing and ignored police commands to drop the knife, according to his citation.

Medical staff members said Cline, who came to the emergency room for medical help, became “enraged” when they asked him to remove his clothing for testing, according to the citation. The staffers said he pulled out the knife and lunged at two medical personnel. They also told police he waved the knife and threatened to kill them.

One officer drew his gun, while another drew his Taser and that’s when Cline threw the knife onto the ground where it bounced toward an officer and into the hallway in the direction of emergency room personnel, according to his citation.

While speaking with police, Cline denied lunging at anyone, according to his citation. He said he got angry when he was asked to undress.

He is lodged in the Warren County Regional Jail. Warren District Judge Brent Potter set his bond at $2,500 cash.