Nurse arrested in sexual assault of patient

PROVO — A registered nurse has been arrested after police believe he illegally obtained drugs for a suicidal patient in exchange for sexual favors.

The patient, a 27-year-old woman in the psychiatric ward at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, flirted with the nurse and hinted at the exchange "but grew afraid of the arrestee," according to a police affidavit filed in 4th District Court.

The night of the alleged exchange, the woman stayed in a different patient's room to avoid the nurse. However, the nurse woke her up and took her to a different room, where he lifted her shirt and fondled her without her consent, the affidavit states.

He then gave her Lortab, which he had obtained under the name of another patient whom he was not in charge of, the documents state. The victim was not prescribed Lortab and was hospitalized for attempting to commit suicide by Lortab overdose, according to the police affidavit.

The nurse, Skyler Evans, admitted obtaining the Lortab in exchange for the sexual favor, the affidavit states. Police recovered the drug in the patient's room.

Evans was arrested July 9 and booked into jail for investigation of forcible sexual assault, fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance and abuse of a vulnerable adult. Since he was within 100 feet of a day-care center, he was also booked for distribution of a narcotic in such an area.

— Sara Lenz