Pequannock police officers say that they pepper sprayed a local man who was threatening them with a baseball bat.

A police officer arrived at the home of a Pequannock, NJ man after police received a noise complaint. At the scene, the officer allegedly discovered several juveniles in the backyard yelling and in possession of multiple containers of alcohol.

When the officer contacted the 53-year-old homeowner who was inside the residence, the homeowner allegedly refused to cooperate and told police to leave his premises.

The officer on the scene allowed the juveniles to enter the home to get their belongings and call their parents. However, the homeowner allegedly locked the door and refused to let the juvenile leave after they set foot inside the home.

Police said that the suspect eventually opened the door, but he held a metal baseball bat over his head in what police described as a threatening manner. When the suspect tried to close the door again, officers entered the home and pepper sprayed him.

The suspect has been charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon, resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, and providing a property for underage drinking.

If the suspect in this case is convicted of aggravated assault on a police officer, he could be looking at a very long prison sentence – possibly as many as five years in NJ State Prison. As codified in N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1b(5), simple assault charges can become aggravated assault charges when the assault is committed against a police officer.

To learn more about this incident, check out the NJ.com article entitled “Officers Pepper Spray Man Who Threatened Them with Baseball Bat, Police Say.“

 

If you are facing aggravated assault charges in New Jersey, contact Morristown NJ criminal defense attorney Travis J. Tormey for a free consultation about your case.