SOUTH BRUNSWICK – A male resident of South Brunswick allegedly assaulted police officers after he was accused of hiding in a home office he was attempting to burglarize.
At 3:42 p.m. Aug. 1, South Brunswick police received a 911 call reporting someone had broken into 591 Ridge Road.
A young woman on the second floor told police she locked herself in her office and could hear a suspect on the first floor, according to the South Brunswick Police Department. She said she believed the suspect jumped out the first floor window to escape, police said.
Officer George Morgan, Sgt. Roger Tuohy and Sgt. Nate Labuda began clearing the first floor, according to reports.
The first floor was primarily used for storage for the office. In a corner behind a stack of tires, officers encountered the suspect hiding. He was identified as a 19-year-old resident of the Dayton section of South Brunswick. Police said the suspect had allegedly changed his clothes so he was wearing the company’s shirt and a traffic vest, police said.
Officers eventually took him into custody, according to reports.
At police headquarters, the young man was being fingerprinted when he allegedly turned and struck Morgan and kicked Detective Rick Delucia. Morgan, Delucia and Officer Tom Spilatore were able to subdue the man, police said.
The suspect has been charged with burglary, theft and aggravated assault. He was released on a summons pending his first court appearance. He was taken to an area hospital for an evaluation.
