Police: 19-year-old Charged with Assault

A 19-year-old Garfield resident was charged Monday night with aggravated assault after he allegedly punched a first aid squad member in the chest, Capt. James Clarke said.

Shortly before 9:15 p.m. Monday night, Officer John Costabile responded to the entrance to William Paterson University on Pompton Road on a report of a motor vehicle collision, Clarke said.

The driver, John Phelan, was slumped over the steering wheel, Clarke said. When questioned as to his condition, Phelan made circles in the air with his finger, stating repeatedly that he was not driving, Clarke said.

Emergency responders extricated Phelan, who was pinned between the driver’s seat and dashboard, from the vehicle, Clarke said.

According to Clarke, Phelan punched first aid squad member Rich Abalino in the chest and spit on Costabile and Officer Elliot Lyons during the extrication. Phelan was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for his injuries.

Phelan was also charged with: two counts of intentionally subjecting a law enforcement officer to bodily fluids, aggravated assault, driving without a license, failure to use a seatbelt, failure to change address, driving an uninsured vehicle, and careless driving.

Costabile detected that the vehicle’s passenger, Domenick Lepera, 19, had been consuming alcohol, Clarke said. Lepera was arrested and charged with being under the legal age to consume an alcoholic beverage.