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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend September 1, 2005 Cops hospitalized after bus fracas Sheriff’s Deputy Natalie Avery and Phoenix Officer John Koury were allegedly attacked by an unruly RVTD bus passenger By JACK MORAN Mail Tribune Two police officers were injured Wednesday when an unruly bus passenger beat them with a flashlight snatched from one of the officers’ belts. Jackson County sheriff’s Deputy Natalie Avery and Phoenix police Officer John Koury were released from Providence Medford Medical Center after receiving treatment for minor head injuries, officials said. The suspect, Tod Orlin Curtis, 44, was arrested and lodged in the Jackson County Jail on several felony assault charges. At 9:46 a.m., officers went to a parking lot in the 2300 block of South Pacific Highway, just south of the Medford city limits, in response to a report of a disorderly man aboard a Rogue Valley Transportation District bus, said Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters. While officers were en route to the scene, they learned Curtis had allegedly threatened bus passengers and was becoming increasingly violent, officials said. Advertisement "He apparently told (a passenger) ‘I’ll throw you off this bus,’ " said Peter Jacobson, RVTD’s general manager. After about a dozen passengers got off the bus, Avery and Koury boarded and tried to take Curtis into custody. Winters said an aggressive Curtis grabbed Avery’s flashlight and used it to strike both officers in the head. Several more officers responded to the scene after the bus driver phoned 9-1-1 to report the fracas. Meanwhile, Avery and Koury tried to subdue Curtis with pepper spray. "When officers are involved in a serious fight like that, it really helps when people call us to keep us advised of the situation," Winters said. "Officers don’t have a chance to use their radios (during an altercation)." Curtis was finally taken into custody when Winters, assisted by other officers, got on the bus and handcuffed the still-combative suspect. While Avery and Koury were taken to the hospital’s emergency room, Curtis was transported directly to the Jackson County Jail. He was being held late Wednesday on more than $4 million bail, a jail spokeswoman said. Koury "got hit three different times in the head, but he’s OK," said Phoenix Police Chief Bob Kershaw, adding that Koury was "groggy" following the incident. It was not known how many times Avery was struck with the flashlight. Curtis faces two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of third-degree assault and two counts of resisting arrest. First- and second-degree assault carry mandatory minimum prison terms upon conviction, according to state sentencing guidelines. Curtis’ criminal record includes prior convictions for felony marijuana distribution and fourth-degree assault, a misdemeanor. Reach reporter Jack Moran at 776-4459, or e-mail Cops hospitalized after bus fracas ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Distance Education www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Helzberg Diamonds Computer Security Casino Gambling Sites Cheap Website Templates Budget Website Hosting Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy Memory Foam Mattress Diamonds Online Poker Home Equity Loans Reservationstogo Hotel Reservations w2 forms Mortgage Calculator Free Home-Loan Referrals Online Casino News Natto Kinase Nattokinase Advertisement s