Community Corner
Police: Local Man Tried to Use Pepper Spray on Officers
A Germania Street resident is facing multiple charges after being combative with officers during a dispute with his neighbor over the weekend, police said.
A 43-year-old Germania Street man will appear in Bristol Superior Court to answer to multiple charges including three counts of criminal attempt to assault police after officers said he attempted to use pepper spray on them during a response to a neighbor dispute over the weekend.
Sgt. Lowell DePalma said Mario Simeone, of 75 Germania St., was taken into custody following an incident outside his home early Saturday evening.
“There was a dispute that happened outside the home and when officers arrived, Simeone became combative,” DePalma said. “As the officers approached them, he began fighting and reached into his coat and attempted to pull out a can a pepper spray he had in his right pocket.”
Simeone was taken into custody and booked on charges of second-degree threatening, two counts of second-degree breach of peace, resisting arrest and three counts of criminal attempt to commit assault on a police officer.
He was released after posting a $10,500 bond, according to police records, and is due in Bristol Superior Court for arraignment on Feb. 5.
Police said officers were dispatched to Germania Street around 5 p.m. after reports of a dispute between neighbors that was taking place outside their homes. Officers arrived to find Simeone and a neighbor had been arguing.
The name of the neighbor, who was not arrested, was not released on Monday.
According to a police report, the dispute started as a verbal confrontation between the two men. During the confrontation, DePalma said Simeone allegedly told the neighbor he was “lucky I don’t come down and put a bullet in your head” which led to the neighbor calling for help.
Officers arrived on scene and Simeone began to act aggressive as they approached him, reaching into his pocket in an effort to grab the pepper spray. He made several efforts to pull the can of pepper spray out of his pocket, but was handcuffed before he was able to do so, DePalma said.
The officers were not injured during the incident, he said.
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