Police: Man Held For Disorderly Conduct Assaults Cop

A city man charged with disorderly conduct for his alleged involvement in a domestic incident Wednesday night was later accused of assaulting a police officer after being transported to Police Headquarters.

Police say an officer in the lock-up’s booking cage was taking personal items from the man, later identified as Frank Townsend, when Townsend became agitated and pushed the officer.

Police spokesman Lt. Praveen John said the officer told Townsend to calm down, which he did for a while, but then he pushed and grabbed the officer. John said several more officers then entered the booking cage and pinned Townsend to the wall.

Townsend had the smell of alcohol on his breath, John said.

Police were called to Townsend’s home at 11:23 p.m. Wednesday on a report of a domestic incident in progress.

Officers who responded said Townsend had gotten into argument with his wife and she ran into a bathroom and locked the door.

The officers reported Townsend banged on the bathroom door, then pushed it open, and his wife ran to the kitchen. When he entered the kitchen, they reported, his wife held up a kitchen knife and told him to “stay away.”

The woman’s mother was in the home, John said, and attempted to separate them. She then called the police, he said.

Townsend, 44, of 5 Indian Hill Rd., was charged with disorderly conduct for the alleged incident with his wife, and assault on a police officer for the alleged incident in the booking cage.

Police also found Townsend had an outstanding arrest warrant for second-degree failure to appear in court. State judicial records show Townsend was arrested Dec. 1, 1998, on a charge of sixth-degree larceny, and the case remains open because he failed to appear in court.

Townsend was held on $10,000 bond for the assault charge, and $500 bond for the disorderly conduct charge. The warrant had a court set bond of $1,000.

Townsend was to appear in court Thursday on the disorderly conduct charge. He was given a court date of Feb. 27 for both the assault charge and the warrant arrest.