MAGNOLIA, Texas (KTRK) — A Houston nurse has been terminated after telling Magnolia police officers she’d let them die if they were ever patients at her hospital.
The comments came during Crystal Tadlock’s arrest for DWI on Saturday morning.
In newly released video, the 35-year-old can be heard telling officers she works at Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital while seated in the back of a patrol car.
“I’m a (expletive) nurse, and when you come through my hospital, don’t worry, I’ll let you die,” Tadlock tells the officers.
After a brief exchange with one officer, Tadlock adds, “All your family members,” before asking if she’s being recorded.
Police say they originally pulled Tadlock over for speeding just after midnight on FM 1488 near Heritage Lane.
In their report, officers note that it took Tadlock 40 seconds to stop and that she ran a red light and hit a piece of concrete.
They also note she had “bloodshot, glassy eyes and slurred speech” and that she admitted to having two drinks at a concert.
During a field sobriety test, officers say Tadlock almost fell over backwards, which she blamed on a recent eye injection.
“I couldn’t walk straight because I had a (expletive) eye injection yesterday. Because my perception is permanently off,” she can be heard telling officers.
While being driven to the Montgomery County Jail, Tadlock appears to take issue with one officer’s heritage.
“You can’t speak straight because you have an accent from another country,” she says.
When he tries to inform her of her rights, she remarks, “That’s because ICE hasn’t picked you up yet.”
Tadlock told police she’s worked in Memorial Hermann’s ICU for the last 7 years.
A 2021 post on the Daisy Foundation’s website honors her with an award for “extraordinary nurses.”
“Crystal is not only kind to patients, patient’s families, she is also kind to all her colleagues,” the post reads.
But her bedside demeanor appeared to be absent on Saturday.
“You really just said you don’t want me there ’cause you’re gonna let me die,” an officer tells Tadlock.
“Well, yeah,” she replies. “I mean, you’re not that great of a person. You think you can just treat me like this?”
Tadlock was charged with DWI and has since bonded out of jail. She told officers she’d be able to get the charge dismissed.
“You’re gonna be so embarrassed. And I’m also white,” Tadlock said.
On its Facebook page, the Magnolia Police Department writes, “Unfortunately, we couldn’t charge her with not being a very nice person.”
Eyewitness News was unable to find a working phone number for Tadlock or a listed attorney. An email to an address listed for her went unreturned.
Police say they tested Tadlock’s blood alcohol content after she refused a breathalyzer. Police say they are still waiting for the results of that blood draw.
Memorial Hermann released the following statement:
“Immediately upon learning of this incident on Saturday, we took swift action to suspend the employee, pending investigation. She has subsequently been terminated. The safety and privacy of our patients, visitors and workforce are our top priority, and we take such matters very seriously.”
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