Poland man scuffles with Boardman cops

BOARDMAN — Police arrested a Poland man on several charges following a traffic stop and a scuffle with officers.

Nicholas J. Gentile, 31, of South Wind Trail was charged with felony drug possession, two counts of assault on a police officer and misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest. He was also cited for operating a motor vehicle while impaired.

Early today, a police officer saw a car travel through a red light on Mathews Road at South Avenue, according to a police report. The officer followed the car, and after reportedly seeing it travel off the side of the road several times, stopped it.

The car, driven by Gentile, pulled in a parking lot at Mathews and Sheridan roads and hit a parked pickup truck.

Police said Gentile then tried to get out of the car but couldn’t because he was too close to another parked car.

The officer called for backup, and other units from the township as well as Poland Village arrived.

When Gentile exited through the passenger side of his car, police smelled alcohol and he had difficulty balancing himself, the report says.

He refused to perform field sobriety tests and was arrested.

When police were walking him to a cruiser, Gentile pulled away from an officer and struck the officer in the chest with his elbow then kicked him in the shin.

Gentile was wrestled to the ground but continued to resist and kicked a second officer in the abdomen before officers got him into a cruiser, police reported.

During the struggle, Gentile sustained scrapes on his cheek and forehead and was taken to St. Elizabeth Boardman Medical Center for treatment.

He was lodged in the Mahoning County Justice Center, where police found a small plastic bag containing white powder and three straws in his wallet. A field test indicated the substance tested positive for was cocaine, a report says.