Man Charged with Assaulting Newark Police Officer
A 34-year-old man faces multiple felony charges after allegedly assaulting an officer while attempting to flee the scene of a crime. According to a news report in The Star Ledger, the incident occurred at a West Caldwell drugstore in Newark. Officials say he attempted to fill out a bogus prescription before fleeing the scene, injuring an elderly woman and a police officer as he fled. The man was tracked down by officials and now faces two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of receiving stolen property, obtaining a controlled dangerous substance by fraud, and resisting arrest.
Eluding an officer is a serious offense under New Jersey law. But there is the possibility of even harsher penalties if the suspect assaulted or injured a police officer during his attempt to flee the scene. It is common in such cases for the suspect to face aggravated assault charges in New Jersey.
Under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b), a person is guilty of aggravated assault if he or she “attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another, or causes such injury purposely or knowingly or under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life recklessly causes such injury” or recklessly causes injury with a deadly weapon.
Anyone facing multiple felony charges would be well advised to speak with a skilled criminal defense attorney before discussing the circumstances of the incident with the authorities. The resisting arrest attorneys in NJ at Lependorf & Silverstein have a long history of handling assault cases in New Jersey. If you or a loved one is facing criminal charges in New Jersey, please contact our offices at (609) 240-0040 for a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation.
