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Police: Wilmington man paralyzed girlfriend with assault

A Schuyler Falls woman was left partially paralyzed after her boyfriend picked her up and threw her into a dresser, police say.

Jason D. Bruce, 52, of Wilmington was arrested Saturday by Plattsburgh-based state police and charged with second-degree assault, a felony.

Annette Ormsby was taken by ambulance to the University of Vermont Health Network, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh and then transferred to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, where she underwent two surgeries.

The paralysis remained Tuesday evening, however.

“She’s holding it together and doing what she has to do to make some sort of strides,” said her son, 28-year-old Evan Ormsby, of Schuyler Falls.

“We’ve had so many people call. It’s been overwhelming, the amount of love and outpouring of friends, family, people who know and care about my mother.

“We’re very thankful for everyone’s support.”

Some progress

The incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. Friday during a domestic dispute at a residence in Schuyler Falls, state police Troop B Public Information Officer Trooper Jennifer Fleishman said.

The back of the woman’s head and neck struck the dresser, and she couldn’t move or feel her legs afterward, she said.

Evan said his mother had shattered bones in her neck and that she had screws, plates, pins and artificial bones implanted to keep her from further injuring her spinal column.

She’s making some progress, though, he said.

“By the third day, she was talking more, and by the fourth day, she was sitting up in an adjustable bed and having conversations,” Evan said.

“Very long road”

The Ormsby family has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for medical expenses and other bills.

“My mother may never walk again,” Evan wrote on the page.

“She has a very long road ahead of her for recovery, which means we are taking a lot of time off of work and having to travel to and from Vermont.”

It breaks his heart to ask for help, he wrote.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 94 donors had contributed $4,776 toward the goal of $10,000.

Court date

Bruce was arraigned in Schuyler Falls Town Court before Justice Philip VanNortwick and sent to Clinton County Jail on $15,000 bail. He has since posted bail. He is due back in court at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

To donate

People can find the gofundme page for Annette Ormsby at https://tinyurl.com/ybke6z77

Find help

There is confidential assistance for victims of domestic violence. Call STOP Domestic Violence at 518-563-6904 or toll free at 888-563-6904.

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