NEED TO KNOW
- Sonja Morgan is speaking out after a photo surfaced of her being loaded into an ambulance on a stretcher
- The Real Housewives of New York City alum tells PEOPLE that she “sustained minor injuries” at the restaurant and ambulance was called “out of an abundance of caution”
- Authorities confirm to PEOPLE that the reality star was issued “a written trespass warning”
Sonja Morgan is speaking out after leaving a Florida restaurant in an ambulance on May 15.
In a photo obtained by TMZ, The Real Housewives of New York City alum, 61, was seen on a stretcher being loaded into an ambulance outside of Echo restaurant in Palm Beach, Florida on May 15.
Morgan tells PEOPLE that she received medical assistance after being injured while helping a fellow patron.
“An elderly patron at the restaurant I was dining at appeared to be in distress, and I called for medical assistance,” she says in a statement. “While assisting during the commotion, I sustained some minor injuries and, out of an abundance of caution, accompanied the EMTs to be checked out.”
“I’m incredibly grateful to the first responders for their swift care and professionalism,” she continued.
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Captain William Rothrock of Palm Beach Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE that officers responded to a medical call at the restaurant at The Breakers Palm Beach at about 9:45 pm.
Rothrock also noted that the department “issued a written trespass warning to Sonja Morgan at the request of the Breakers Hotel (owner of Echo),” but did not mention if another patron was involved.
TMZ reports that Morgan refused to sign the warning, but police were unable to corroborate that report. “I didn’t want to leave. I insisted on making sure she was cared for,” Morgan tells PEOPLE.
A source told TMZ that the Bravo star was “seemingly upset while loudly speaking to responding officers” for about 15 minutes before being transported via ambulance.
The Palm Beach Fire Department also confirmed to PEOPLE that they responded to a call for medical service at the restaurant and treated a patient on the scene.
Echo declined to comment when reached by PEOPLE.
The incident comes less than a week after Morgan allegedly dined and attempted to ditch at a New York City hotspot.
The reality star dined at Tucci in New York City’s Noho neighborhood on May 10 and allegedly refused to pay the nearly $1,000 bill, according to an onlooker, and disputed the bill with owner Max Tucci.
“She was like, ‘I don’t pay; people pay me [to go to their restaurants].’ She was absolutely entitled and caused a scene about not paying,” a source told Page Six.
Tucci confirmed the incident, telling PEOPLE, “I’d like to clarify that there was no agreement for a complimentary dinner. [Morgan’s] assumption otherwise shows poor judgment, which is consistent with her past behavior of not tipping our servers.”
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“We stand in solidarity with our hardworking staff and the industry, expecting respect and fair compensation for excellent service,” he continued.
Morgan previously claimed the New York incident was due to a “miscommunication” and that she remedied the unpaid check after getting in touch with Tucci.
“I, of course, offered to pay and tip and I did when they finally called me back on Monday,” she told PEOPLE.
