MASON CITY — He went to MercyOne for medical care and wound up in jail after an alleged detour to the hospital’s helicopter. Police say a highly intoxicated Mason City man walked out of the emergency department, crawled over a helipad gate and became combative with the workers trying to bring him back inside.
Robert Vaughn Ellefson (pictured at top), 60, faces four criminal charges following the encounter, which allegedly included an assault on one or more hospital employees.
Mason City Police Chief Mike McKelvey said Ellefson initially went to the MercyOne emergency department to be seen but grew impatient and left. Staff followed and tried to coax him back inside.
Ellefson allegedly had other ideas.
He refused to cooperate, made his way to the helipad, crawled over the gate and approached the helicopter, which he allegedly touched, McKelvey said.
MercyOne workers restrain man at helipad
Hospital staff reported the incident to dispatch at 9:37 p.m., according to the chief. Several employees restrained Ellefson until police arrived.
Even then, police say, he continued to be uncooperative and combative with hospital workers and officers.
McKelvey said one or more MercyOne employees were allegedly assaulted during the events in the emergency department and at the helipad. The jail listing identifies the assault charge as assault on persons in certain occupations, without injury.
NIT has previously reported on a separate case involving alleged assaults on Mercy hospital employees while a woman was receiving care in Mason City. That case involved a different defendant and is unrelated to the Ellefson incident.
Helicopter encounter, but no announced theft charge
The alleged helipad intrusion brought Ellefson close to a medical helicopter, but the chief did not characterize the encounter as an attempted aircraft theft.
“The reports do not state if he made statements that he was going to steal the helicopter,” McKelvey said.
Given Ellefson’s alleged level of intoxication, McKelvey said he believed the likelihood of Ellefson accomplishing that would have been very low.
Neither theft nor attempted theft appears among the charges police provided. Authorities also did not say Ellefson entered the helicopter, operated its controls or caused damage to the aircraft.
Four charges, $2,000 bond
The Cerro Gordo County jail record shows Ellefson was booked at 10:32 p.m. October 13, 2026, on four charges:
- Assault on persons in certain occupations, no injury — Iowa Code 708.3A(4).
- Disorderly conduct, fighting or violent behavior — Iowa Code 723.4(1)(a).
- Fifth-degree criminal mischief, damage under $300 — Iowa Code 716.6(2).
- Public intoxication, first offense — Iowa Code 123.46(2).
The jail listing shows a $2,000 cash or surety bond. McKelvey said Ellefson remained in the Cerro Gordo County jail at the time of his response.
Police did not identify the property allegedly damaged in connection with the criminal mischief charge.
Ellefson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.