Man Allegedly Tried to Gouge Out Detail Officer's Eye During Assault

WORCESTER, MA—A Worcester man is facing several charges, including assaulting an officer who was on traffic detail during construction work on County Club Boulevard.

Around 10:05 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 3, a Worcester officer in full uniform worked at a detail just up from Lincoln Street, where the workers operated large construction equipment on the road. Numerous orange cones were set up to divert traffic, with Country Club Boulevard and the entrance to Aldi Supermarket coned off.

The detail officer spotted a 2014 Mazda driven by the later-identified Jones Appiah, Country Club Boulevard, Worcester. Appiah tried to drive into the work zone and into the supermarket lot, the officer telling him he could get to the lot by taking the entrance from Lincoln Street.

Appiah yelled at the officer, making a U-turn and speeding on the wrong side of a road that is divided by a median strip, ignoring the officer's commands to stop. A few minutes later, Appiah returned to Country Club Boulevard by turning right from Lincoln Street, said police, and then drove through the construction site and entered the supermarket lot. Appiah got out of his vehicle and walked away from the officer, who asked to see his license and registration. According to police, Appiah ignored this and yelled obscenities at the officer, who told him he was under arrest for failure to produce a license and registration and for failure to stop for a police officer.

Appiah ran from the scene toward a security guard who had come out of the supermarket, pushing him out of the way. The Worcester officer chased Appiah, who turned around. The officer, according to police, realized he was about to be assaulted and sprayed pepper spray on Appiah, who wiped it off and threatened to hurt the officer. Appiah circled the officer and charged at him, tackling him to the ground in the lot, said officials, with the security guard running to help.

According to police, Appiah was violently resisting by punching the officer while trying to get away, and dug his fingernails into the officer's face during the struggle. Appiah took one of his fingers and purposely pressed, with great force, into one of the officers’ eye. The officer believed that Appiah was attempting to gouge out his eye, said police. The struggle continued, but the officer was able to control Appiah and put him in cuffs. Several officers arrived at the scene to assist.

Worcester EMS treated Appiah for exposure to pepper spray, and the officer was transported to a nearby hospital for an eye injury and numerous cuts, scrapes and abrasions to his face. The officer suffered several broken blood vessels to the eye, but is expected to recover.

ult and Battery, Mayhem, Intimidation of a Witness, Threatening to Commit a Crime (bodily harm), Failure to Stop for a Police Officer, Refusal to Produce a License and Registration, and Operating a MV to Endanger.
Mr. Appiah will be arraigned tomorrow, August 4, 2016 at the Worcester County District Courthouse.