Donnel A. Mathes was charged with aggravated assault, possession of heroin, possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, resisting arrest.

A city police officer was punched in the face Saturday after stopping a man who was reportedly jaywalking near South 3rd Street and Railroad Avenue. <br />Ptl. Angel Lopez said he stopped Donnel A. Mathes, 42, of Coombs Drive, Fairfield Township, after seeing him commit the violation.The officer said he started talking to Mathes, so he could issue him a summons, but added that while he was talking to him, Mathes wouldn't take his hands out of his coat pockets. After being asked to remove his hands from his pockets numerous times, Mathes complied, and according to police, he removed his right hand, which he used to strike Lopez with a closed fist. <br />Mathes then ran south on 3rd Street, according to police, and a foot pursuit began. <br />Lopez said he observed Mathes throwing a bag in the area of 3rd Street and Florence Avenue, but he didn't identify what it was. Police finally caught up to Mathes in the 200 block of South 3rd Street, where he was taken to the ground by officers. Mathes allegedly resisted arrest at this time, according to police. Lopez state that Mathes kept saying that he "wasn't going back to jail for nothing." While saying this, Lopez reported that Mathes kept resisting and then started throwing more closed fist punches, striking the officer in the face and chest area, again. <br />Police said they then used force to subdue Mathes, but he continued to kick the officer in the legs while he was on the ground. Lopez was able to cuff Mathes after another officer arrived at the scene to help. While searching Mathes after his arrest, Lopez said a sandwich bag with suspected heroin inside, a pocket knife, cigarette paper and approximately $330 were recovered. <br />Mathes was charged with aggravated assault, possession of heroin, possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, resisting arrest, eluding, failure to deliver a controlled dangerous substance to police, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the county jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Donnel A. Mathes was charged with aggravated assault, possession of heroin, possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, resisting arrest.

A city police officer was punched in the face Saturday after stopping a man who was reportedly jaywalking near South 3rd Street and Railroad...

Read more »