Nevada caretaker charged with punching wheelchair user in the mouth

From The Associated Press:

A caretaker has been accused of punching and knocking out the tooth of a wheelchair-bound man with cerebral palsy in Douglas County.

The Record-Courier of Gardnerville reports that 32-year-old Barry Paulison of Yerington was booked Tuesday on a gross misdemeanor charge of abuse of a vulnerable person.

Paulison had been hired as temporary help for the Gardnerville man through a state program that provides full-time caretakers a short break from their daily routine.

The victim's parents say Paulison took their 21-year-old son to a bowling alley and fast-food restaurant on Dec. 20.

They say they noticed his face, arms and legs were bruised and he was missing a tooth after he returned about five hours later.

Paulison is accused of hitting, striking and punching the man.