Plea Entered During Jury Selection Of Assaulted Officer Trial

GOSHEN, NY — While a jury was being selected for a trial involving a police officer who was assaulted, a Port Jervis man entered a guilty plea.

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced Wednesday that Guy Dixon, 38, of Port Jervis, admitted his guilt in the incident where a Port Jervis police officer was seriously injured.

Dixon pleaded guilty to assault on a police officer, a felony.

Pursuant to the plea agreement, he will receive five years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision when he is sentenced April 7.

Prosecutors said, on Aug. 16, police were called to a residence on Barcelow Street in Port Jervis in response to a report of a domestic violence-related robbery.

Dixon was accused of forcibly stealing the cell phone belonging to the mother of his child and yelling at and taunting the officers from the vestibule of the home.

When officers attempted to speak to him and place him under arrest, he slammed the door of the residence on one of the officers, causing a glass insert in the door to shatter, authorities said.

As a result, the officer sustained serious lacerations to his hand, requiring immediate medical attention and subsequent surgery.

Hoovler said responding to domestic violence calls is dangerous, and police are duty-bound to respond to calls for service that place them in dangerous situations.

"Those who cause injury to police officers who are doing the crucial job that keeps us all safe must be held accountable for their actions," he said.

"My office will continue to support the brave men and women in our police departments and seek punishment for those who injure officers or place them at risk of injury," Hoovler said.