North Attleboro Man Charged with Assaulting, Injuring Two Foxborough Officers

Foxborough, MA — A North Attleboro man was so out of control that he needed to be tased multiple times, police said.

Ralph Cloukey, 39, was arraigned Monday in Wrentham District Court. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, and malicious destruction of property under $250. He was ordered held on $260 bail, according to Wrentham District Court.

On June 8 at about 5:26 p.m., police received a call reporting a man lying in the woods near the side of Walnut Street. The caller told police that when they walked over to the sleeping man, he woke up, held up a peace sign, and went back to sleep according to a police report obtained at Wrentham District Court.

Patrolman Kurt Pollister responded to the call. When he arrived, the man, identified as Cloukey was up and walking with difficulty, Pollister wrote in his report. When Pollister approached Cloukey, he was ignored despite several attempts to talk.

Eventually, Cloukey returned to the ground and refused to stand when ordered by Pollister. The officer pulled him back up before Cloukey allegedly violently pulled his arm away. Pollister wrote that he ordered Cloukey to turn around, and he refused and took a fighting stance.

More officers were called to the scene, with three needed to arrest Cloukey, who was allegedly resisting arrest and violently swinging his arms in an attempt to strike one of the officers.

With Sgt. John Chamberlin trying to roll Cloukey onto his stomach and Pollister holding his legs, Cloukey was ordered to comply with police orders or he would be tased. Cloukey was struck with a taser before he was placed in handcuffs. Cloukey was allegedly still assaultive and was tased again while in handcuffs.

Police say they were unable to complete the booking process due to Cloukey's behavior. While in a jail cell, he remained assaultive, at one point having to be restrained in a chair, police said. While restrained, he allegedly pressed his weight against the chair and used it to spring forward both of his legs violently, allegedly striking Chamberlain in his thigh.

After getting his hand out of a restraint, Cloukey allegedly began swinging at officers when they attempted to strap his hand back in, according to the report. Police had to use a taser to get Cloukey's hand back in the chair.
Police say it was several hours until Cloukey calmed down.

Two officers were injured in the incident, according to Police Chief Ed O'Leary. According to the police report, the officers had to receive emergency care at Norwood Hospital.

Cloukey is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on Aug. 25.