SOUTHWICK – Zachary P. Dougherty, 30, of Robin Road, was arraigned in Westfield District Court Dec. 7 on charges of assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest.
Judge Phillip A. Contant released Dougherty on personal recognizance and set his next court appearance on Jan. 11, 2016.
Dougherty was arrested Dec. 6 after assaulting two environmental police officers, Lt. Mike Scibelli and Officer Frank Soleimani.
The officers were conducting an investigation of illegal hunting on the Russo property on Robin Road with permission of the property owner.
Both officers were undercover and in plain clothes, posing as hunters, when Dougherty approached them.
“While on the property, we were both assaulted by (Dougherty),” wrote Soleimani in the Statement of Facts. “After we both pulled out our badges and identified ourselves as police officers (Dougherty) continued the assault by keeping his body in a bladed boxer’s stance, puffing out his chest, and bringing up his arms quickly and aggressively.”
The officers identified themselves again, to which Dougherty responded with physical intervention and said “I don’t care who the (expletive) you are.”
Soleimani said he feared imminent battery on Scibelli. Dougherty attempted to resist as Soleimani intervened when Dougherty was about to punch Scibelli, stated the report.
“As a result, he hit me with his arms in the process of resisting my physical intervention,” wrote Soleimani. “He was placed under arrest for assault and battery on a police officer. (Dougherty) exerted intentional physical force to prevent police from taking him to the ground and from putting his hands behind his back for handcuffing.”
Soleimani stated Dougherty failed to comply with commands to cooperate.
