A traveling MRI technician is in custody after a patient reported she was sexually assaulted while undergoing a scan at HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital, according to police.
Port St. Lucie Police detectives launched an investigation on Sept. 14, 2026, after hospital staff notified them of the patient’s report. The woman told staff the assault took place the previous day while she was in the imaging room.
Investigators determined the patient had received medication prior to the MRI as part of her treatment, which left her heavily drowsy. Detectives coordinated with hospital administrators to identify the staff member assigned to her procedure, identifying him as 42-year-old Gabriel Cruz. Cruz, a contract travel technician, had been working at the facility since Aug. 24…