Man Resists Arrest, Spits on Officer, Cops Say

A 33-year-old Martinsville man was arrested after a confrontation outside of Morristown’s Iron Bar on Aug. 15, according to a police report.

In his report, Officer David Gizzi said he responded to a call outside of the Iron Bar at 10 p.m. when he found Michael Stefani “flailing his arms in a threatening manner and shouting obscenities causing public alarm.”

When approached, Stefani shouted an obscenity at Gizzi and spit in his face, the report said.

According to the report, when Gizzi tried to make the arrest, Stefani resisted and grabbed at the officer’s microphone, tearing his uniform. With the assistance of an employee of the Iron Bar, Stefani was arrested and taken to Morristown Police Headquarters for processing, the report said.

Stefani was taken to Morristown Medical Center where he was evaluated and released on his own recognizance, the report said. Stefani was charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and throwing bodily fluids at a corrections officer, the report said.

While receiving his summons and court date, Stefani apologized for his actions and said he “deserved the charges he was given” the report said.

Editor's note: While the incident did take place outside of the Iron Bar in Morristown, that establishment's managing partner Darrell Remlinger said that Stefani was not a customer or patron of the bar.