Deltona, Fla. -- A Volusia County dentist is facing felony charges after fighting with an elderly patient over her dentures, according to deputies.
Virginia Graham said she was forced to bite the dentist, Dr. Michael Hammonds, when he wouldn't let go of her dentures. Volusia County Sheriff's deputies said Hammonds was fitting Graham's new dentures before the attack.
Graham complained the dentures hurt too much because she felt like the doctor cut her gums while putting them in. The 85-year-old said she ripped them out and threw them because of the sharp pain.
"I'm thinking the man had to be on something. I mean, he was wild," said Graham.
She said she grabbed the dentures out of his hands and demanded a refund. When he wouldn't give her a refund, deputies said that's when the two of them got in a fight.
Graham said Hammonds told her to leave, but when she tried, he stood in her way, bruising her arm and slamming her leg in the door.
“He was going off on me, and shoving me and grabbing my arms to keep me from leaving. I said, 'if you don't get out of my face, I'm going to smack you.' He said, 'you do it, come on, smack me, smack me.' I didn't smack him, but I bit him so he let loose of my dentures," said Graham.
She said she eventually tried to escape by climbing out of a window.
"I started to climb up in the chair and one of the girls said, ‘Ms. Graham, don't do that.’" One of the nurses in the dental office called 911.
Graham said she heard the nurse say to the 911 dispatcher, "'She's trying to try to climb up the window, she's disrupting the whole office.'"
Deputies arrested Hammonds.
He said, "I have nothing to say” as he bonded out of jail late Tuesday night. Hammonds faces false imprisonment, grand theft, assault and battery charges.
It doesn't look like Hammonds will open up his Elkam Dental office in Deltona on Wednesday. A sign on the door says they will be closed.
Virginia Graham said she was forced to bite the dentist, Dr. Michael Hammonds, when he wouldn't let go of her dentures. Volusia County Sheriff's deputies said Hammonds was fitting Graham's new dentures before the attack.
Graham complained the dentures hurt too much because she felt like the doctor cut her gums while putting them in. The 85-year-old said she ripped them out and threw them because of the sharp pain.
"I'm thinking the man had to be on something. I mean, he was wild," said Graham.
She said she grabbed the dentures out of his hands and demanded a refund. When he wouldn't give her a refund, deputies said that's when the two of them got in a fight.
Graham said Hammonds told her to leave, but when she tried, he stood in her way, bruising her arm and slamming her leg in the door.
“He was going off on me, and shoving me and grabbing my arms to keep me from leaving. I said, 'if you don't get out of my face, I'm going to smack you.' He said, 'you do it, come on, smack me, smack me.' I didn't smack him, but I bit him so he let loose of my dentures," said Graham.
She said she eventually tried to escape by climbing out of a window.
"I started to climb up in the chair and one of the girls said, ‘Ms. Graham, don't do that.’" One of the nurses in the dental office called 911.
Graham said she heard the nurse say to the 911 dispatcher, "'She's trying to try to climb up the window, she's disrupting the whole office.'"
Deputies arrested Hammonds.
He said, "I have nothing to say” as he bonded out of jail late Tuesday night. Hammonds faces false imprisonment, grand theft, assault and battery charges.
It doesn't look like Hammonds will open up his Elkam Dental office in Deltona on Wednesday. A sign on the door says they will be closed.
