Suspect denies alleged abuse of handicapped man

MINDEN - A 32-year-old Yerington man pleaded not guilty Monday to an allegation that he knocked out the tooth of a 22-year-old man with cerebral palsy and bruised him while the victim was in his care.

Barry E. Paulison pleaded not guilty to abuse of a vulnerable person, a gross misdemeanor.

District Judge Michael Gibbons set trial dates of June 7 and July 12 in the alternate.

District Attorney Mark Jackson, who is prosecuting the case, asked that the trial be set within 60 days.

Paulison is out on $5,000 bail and was ordered to stay away from the alleged victim and his family, violate no laws and abstain from drugs and alcohol.

According to the complaint, Paulison is accused of hitting, striking, punching and using force and violence on Dec. 20 against the 22-year-old Gardnerville Ranchos resident who is wheelchair-bound.

Jackson said the victim is diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic.

At a preliminary hearing this month, the victim's father said his son is at the age level of a 4-year-old and unable to defend himself or tell what happened.

Paulison had been hired as temporary help for the alleged victim through a state respite care program which provides full-time caretakers a few hours' break from their daily routine.

The victim's parents said Paulison took their son to Burger King and Silver Strike Bowling Alley on Dec. 20 and returned about five hours later.

Paulison got the victim ready for bed and left the residence.

As the young man's mother was giving him medicine, she noticed his face was bruised and he was missing a tooth.

She and her husband also discovered cuts and bruises on his arms and legs.

They took their son to an urgent care center and reported the incident to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

In lengthy interviews with sherif's investigators, Paulison reportedly admitted that he struck the young man with the back of his right hand as they were driving and "may have handled him too roughly" getting him in and out of his wheelchair and the vehicle.

He said he lost his temper with the young man and didn't realize what the caregiver's job would involve.