A disturbance at St. Luke's Hospital-Miners Campus in Coaldale resulted in criminal charges for a Tamaqua couple.

Police were dispatched to the hospital's emergency room at 9:27 p.m. Saturday for a disturbance in progress. As the police arrived, he was met by Anthony Richards, 28, of 409 W. Broad St., Tamaqua. Richards told the officer he brought his wife to the emergency room for treatment, and at one point, he was told to leave the treatment room. As he left the room, he looked back and saw the staff "hurting his wife." He then went back to protect her and was assaulted by staff members.The officer entered the room and saw several staff members attempting to restrain a woman who was kicking, screaming and spitting at them. The woman was Shante Richards, 24. As the officer was taking statements from those in the room, Shante Richards again became combative, biting one of the nurses and spitting at others. She began banging her head off the wall.She was placed in soft restraints and admitted for treatment.Five hospital staff members were treated for their injuries, including some caused by Anthony Richards, who shoved and struck several people as he tried to re-enter the treatment room after being asked to leave.He was charged with aggravated and simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct and arraigned before on-call District Judge James Ferrier of Orwigsburg. Bail was set at $15,000 straight, which Richards was unable to post. He was lodged in the Schuylkill County Prison in Pottsville.She will be charged with aggravated and simple assault, making terroristic threats, disorderly conduct and harassment once she is released from the hospital.