Portland hospital wrongfully released violent patient accused of attack moments later, $4M suit says

Lawsuit: Portland hospital wrongfully released violent patient

Dwayne Simpson is accused of smashing a 34-pound boulder into the skull of Sonya Gonzales, according to court records.Courtesy: Multnomah County District Attorney's Office

Portland’s behavioral health hospital knew a patient had repeatedly vocalized violent fantasies about smashing in a woman’s head but discharged him anyway onto the street outside — where the man immediately did just that, a lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges.

Sonya Gonzales was waiting for her son to pick her up from work Aug. 9 when a man wearing green hospital scrubs slammed a 34-pound boulder into the back of her skull, sending her reeling into a concrete wall, according to the suit and court records.

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