A Dunmore couple face charges after hitting officers during an altercation in the borough early Sunday, police said.
An officer observed a man pushing a woman in the road — as children were around — near East Grove Street and Prescott Avenue at 1 a.m., according to a criminal complaint.
The man — later identified as Abelno Cahuec-Ruiz — started to walk away when the officer left his patrol vehicle, police said. The officer ordered Cahuec-Ruiz to stop, but he continued to walk away, and then began running from the officer, according to the criminal complaint.
Cahuec-Ruiz (Courtesy Lackawanna County Central Processing)
Beatriz (Courtesy Lackawanna County Central Processing)
During a foot pursuit, a woman involved in the argument — Karen Beatriz — lunged toward the officer, striking him in the face, while attempting to intervene, police said.
The officer kept chasing Cahuec-Ruiz down an alley before the man ran into a fence in the 200 block of East Grove Street, where the couple had been attending a party earlier, according to the criminal complaint.
When Cahuec-Ruiz made his way back into the backyard, he was assaulted by a man, police said.
Cahuec-Ruiz then attempted to run toward the house, officers said. The officer tripped while attempting to apprehend him and police said Cahuec-Ruiz tried to grab a garden shovel multiple times.
Cahuec-Ruiz also hit the officer in the neck, face and body with his elbows and fists, police said. Additionally, Beatriz tried to prevent the officer from arresting Cahuec-Ruiz by shoving him away, according to the criminal complaint.
Another officer attempted to assist with apprehending Cahuec-Ruiz, but Beatriz kept trying to pull him away from police while she was being pulled by two crying children, police said.
Officers used a Taser to subdue Beatriz and Cahuec-Ruiz and eventually took both into custody, according to the criminal complaint.
The children were allowed to stay with an uncle, police said.
Police charged Cahuec-Ruiz, 36, with two counts of felony aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, simple assault and resisting arrest.
Police charged Beatriz, 29, with aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, simple assault and resisting arrest.
Beatriz was released on $5,000 unsecured bail. As of Monday, Cahuec-Ruiz remained in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $20,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing for both is scheduled for May 19 at 10:45 a.m.