A Lower Saucon Township man has been charged with felony assault on a township police officer, according to public Northampton County court records and the Lower Saucon Township Police Department.
Justin David Tracy, 38, of the 2600 block of Easton Road, is also charged with simple assault–a misdemeanor–and summary harassment following a Nov. 5 incident, according to the records.
Police said in a news release Saturday that officers were called to Tracy’s home shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday, after he was reported to be in respiratory distress.
Tracy was “laying on the couch” and “almost immediately became verbally/physically abusive toward (the) officers present. Justin was obviously intoxicated during this time, and officers were able to dissolve the situation,” police said.
According to police, the alleged assault occurred as Tracy was being escorted to a waiting medic truck when “(he) took a swing and connected with the shoulder/jaw area of an officer.”
Tracy was detained and taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital, and the officer–who reportedly suffered minor injuries–was also taken for treatment of minor injuries and later released, police said.
Tracy was served a warrant Friday, arraigned on the charges before District Judge Roy Manwaring and released on $10,000 unsecured bail, according to police.
Police released information about the charges against Tracy after several residents who live near Easton and Lower Saucon roads expressed concerns on Facebook about a police response in that area Thursday evening.
According to one resident of the neighborhood, numerous police cars, EMS personnel and a mobile crime scene investigation unit responded to the scene.
Tracy is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on the charges before District Judge David Tidd of Lower Saucon, according to the criminal docket posted online.
