Two Pa. Officers, Police Horse Punched During Assaults

Sept. 12, 2012
Two Lancaster city police officers and a police horse were punched, and a city man was stabbed in three separate assaults.

Two Lancaster city police officers and a police horse were punched, and a city man was stabbed in three separate assaults.

A Philadelphia man assaulted a policeman trying to arrest him Monday morning in Lancaster City and grabbed the officer's Taser, police said.

Neighbors reported a disturbance in the 300 block of East Ross Street shortly before 2 a.m., city police Sgt. Mark Radmore said in a criminal complaint.

Radmore arrived to find numerous people fighting in the middle of the street, city police Lt. Todd Umstead said.

Forrest Troy Cheeves-Wilson, 24, of Philadelphia, yelled at and chased a female, Radmore said. He tackled her from behind onto the street, against a parked vehicle.

Radmore deployed pepper spray in an attempt to prevent Cheeves-Wilson from further assaulting the woman, Umstead said.

Cheeves-Wilson continued his assaultive and disorderly behavior, so Radmore deployed his Taser on him while trying to arrest him, Umstead said.

Cheeves-Wilson threw numerous punches at Radmore, who was able to block all of them with his forearm, Umstead said.

Cheeves-Wilson then grabbed the officer's Taser and tried to pull the weapon from his hands.

Radmore maintained control of his Taser and with the help of Officer Justin Miller, eventually subdued Cheeves-Wilson and took him into custody, Umstead said.

Radmore was not injured, Umstead said.

Cheeves-Wilson had three grams of marijuana in a small Ziploc baggie in his pants pocket, Radmore said.

Police charged Cheeves-Wilson before District Judge Janice Jimenez with aggravated assault, disarming a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and possession of a small amount of marijuana, Umstead said.

He was committed to Lancaster County Prison in lieu of bail.

On Friday, Officer Scott McDonald and his horse, Duke, were punched as McDonald tried to break up a fight between two men, according to city police.

The incident took place in the first block of South Queen Street at 9:58 p.m. when McDonald came across Jose Albert Mendez, 18, no permanent address, fighting with another man, police said.

When the two ignored McDonald's order to stop the fight, the officer grabbed Mendez and placed him under arrest.

Police said Mendez punched the horse in the shoulder and elbowed the officer in the right side of his stomach. Mendez allegedly threw a punch at McDonald, striking the officer's helmet.

Mendez and the other man then fled on foot. Two other police officers, Rick Beighley and Erik Pannone, gave chase, capturing Mendez. During a brief struggle, Mendez was tasered, police said.

He was charged before District Judge Cheryl Hartman with aggravated assault, escape, resisting arrest, assaulting a police animal and disorderly conduct, and placed in Lancaster County Prison.

The second man escaped, police said.

No one was injured, nor was the horse.

Lancaster police said they have arrested a 19-year-old who they say stabbed a man in the city early Saturday.

Gabriel Emmanuel Lopez-Vazquez, of the 600 block of Rockland Street, stabbed a 21-year-old during a fight in the 100 block of Chester Street, city police Lt. Todd Umstead said.

The victim was found in the area of North Lime and East Chestnut streets around 6:30 a.m.

He sustained multiple stab wounds to his torso and was taken to Lancaster General Hospital in a private vehicle, according to Umstead. He underwent emergency surgery and is expected to survive.

Lopez-Vazquez was arrested without incident at about 8:30 a.m. Saturday in the 100 block of Chester Street, Umstead said. He is known to the victim.

The fight apparently stemmed from a dispute about a female, Umstead said.

City police Officer Joel Thomas charged Lopez-Vazquez with aggravated assault before District Judge Richard Simms.

Lopez-Vazquez was committed to Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $40,000 bail.

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[email protected]

Copyright 2012 Lancaster Newspapers, Inc.All Rights Reserved

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