Niles man charged with hitting police officer with rocks
Staff report
NILES
Nicholas G. Kowal, 25, of Longwood Avenue was arraigned Tuesday on felony assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and obstructing official business after police were called to his house at 10:15 p.m. Monday.
A man reported that Kowal and a woman had taken a drug called “Molly,” or Ecstacy, and that the male had become violent.
When police arrived, Kowal was screaming and yelling with no shirt on. He struck the side of the house with both fists, and his hands were bleeding.
The officer got Kowal to sit down, but Kowal kept clenching his fists and swinging his arms, police said. At one point, Kowal also grabbed two handfuls of rocks and threw them at the officer, hitting the officer in the face and chest. Kowal also charged at the officer, who used his stun gun on Kowal twice.
Kowal was taken to St. Joseph Warren Hospital by ambulance, but he spit into the face of one of the ambulance workers, police said. The woman with Kowal also was taken to the hospital.
The woman told police she and Kowal had snorted the drug after buying it in Niles.
Kowal was released from the Trumbull County Jail on Tuesday afternoon after posting $2,500 bond.
No pleas were accepted on the assault and obstructing charges, both felonies. Kowal pleaded not guilty on the other two charges, which are misdemeanors.