Youngstown man charged with assault on a police officer

Staff report

CAMPBELL

A Youngstown man appeared in court Tuesday on multiple charges including three counts of assault on a police officer.

A police report states James Newell, 33, of Youngstown was driving a dark green Chevrolet east on Gladstone Street without a front license plate. Sgt. Kevin Sferra and officer Robert Curtis signaled the vehicle to stop Monday evening as it turned on Courtland Avenue and then into the Blaze Oil parking lot near.

Sferra and Curtis struggled with the driver, Newell, to get him out of the car. The report says Newell fled to a space at the Blaze Oil building, using the pillars as a barrier from officers.

Officer Eric Manning with a police dog to assist. A stun weapon was used to subdue Newell, who continued to struggle with police.

During the struggle, Newell used a cardboard sign to deflect the dog, who bit Sferra.

Police secured Newell in handcuffs, then found a plastic bag containing 10.5 grams of suspected marijuana.

Newell was taken to Campbell police station where ambulance personnel treated his injuries, including a small puncture wound on his right upper calf, and dog-teeth scrape marks on his left calf. He also had several scrapes and cuts from the pavement.

He then was taken to Mahoning County jail pending a court appearance.

Sferra suffered scrapes to his knee from the pavement.

He said the dog bit his right hand when he pushed it away from his leg after Newell deflected it with the sign.

Manning injured his right shoulder. Officer Ryan Bloomer, who also arrived at some unspecified point, twisted his left knee and suffered some scrapes.