Assault charges can carry serious penalties like fines and jail time, and if the assault is carried out against a police officer, the consequences can become more severe. People involved in violent crime incidents of any kind should understand their rights under the law, as these incidents, depending on the severity, can lead to misdemeanors or felonies on your record.
A Plainfield, New Jersey, man was in the back of an ambulance en route to the Bergen Regional Medical Center on Dec. 2 to be treated for intoxication when his behavior allegedly turned aggressive. The man, 44, allegedly bit a Paramus police officer during the officer’s attempt to restrain him. Police eventually got the man under control and transported him to the hospital.
After his release from the hospital, the man was charged with resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer. He was sent to the Bergen County jail, where he is waiting for his court appearance due to being unable to post the $15,000 bail. The bitten officer was taken to Ridgewood, where he was treated at a local hospital.
Even in violent crimes that do not involve a police officer, charges can still result in financial and legal hardships, as well as negative marks on a criminal record. But prosecutors and police officers like to make examples out of people accused of committing crimes against police. It’s important that the suspect in this case receives a fair trial. It’s also important to establish what mental state the man was in when the accident occurred.
Source: NorthJersey.com, “Plainfield man accused of biting Paramus police officer,” Tatiana Schlossberg, Dec. 3. 2012
