Cranbury Police Assaulted

[Guest]

CRANBURY— A Cranbury police officer was assaulted a few weeks ago on Brickyard Road as crowds dispersed after attending a rodeo, and a driver was arrested for drunken driving on the same road about a half hour earlier.

At 9 p.m. July 31 officer Doug Mayer was attempting to respond to a call on Whyckoffs Mills Road when he encountered heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic on Brickyard Road in front of Camelot Stables as patrons were exiting a rodeo event. The heavy traffic prevented him from proceeding to his destination.

As security from the event attempted to assist Officer Mayer through the heavily congested roadway, Officer Mayer encountered a juvenile, 16, described as being 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, who would not exit the roadway. The juvenile began making gestures and shouting at Officer Mayer.

Officer Mayer exited his vehicle and made verbal attempts to have the juvenile stand down, but without success.
The juvenile became combative toward Officer Mayer as hundreds of people exited the rodeo event. Others entered the fray and security attempted to assist Officer Mayer. Meanwhile he called for backup.

Two more officers from Cranbury, two from Hightstown and five from East Windsor, arrived at the scene by Camelot Stables on Brickyard Road, and took control of the scene and the unruly persons involved. Meanwhile another officer handled the call to Wyckoff Mills Road, which was a report of an unresponsive police radio.

In the brawl near Camelot Stables, three individuals were arrested, including the juvenile. Juan Ortiz, 24, of Bridgeton, was charged with improper behavior, obstruction of justice, and resisting arrest. Gaston Gonzalez, 20, also of Bridgeton, was charged with failure to disperse, obstruction of justice, improper behavior and resisting arrest. The juvenile was charged with juvenile delinquency for obstruction of justice, failure to disperse, improper behavior, resisting arrest, and aggravated assault on a police officer.

Officer Mayer received minor injuries, and the arrested individuals were released to their guardians.

”We’re going to encounter individuals that are not going to be cooperative and are going to be combative,” said Chief Rickey Varga of the Cranbury Police. “Unfortunately this is part of the job we face. We feel we’re real safe in Cranbury, but ... our officers are not immune to the dangers that are out there. Officer Mayer was trying to get from point A to point B on an unrelated call, and he encountered someone in the roadway. We do on occasion face situations such as this.”

On the same evening, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Miguel Pena-Cortez, 21, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was stopped by a Cranbury police officer for failure to maintain a lane on Brickyard Road at the intersection with Cranbury Station Road.

He was found to be impaired and was charged with reckless driving, careless driving, driving with a suspended license, driving while unlicensed, and driving under the influence.

”It is unknown if the (DUI and police assault) incidents are related, however police are looking into the possibility, and if there are any issues, they will be addressed,” Chief Varga said.

[Guest]

This rodeo has a number of DUI's associated with it each time it occurs. Why doesn't the owner at Camelot stop it or is the money just to great? If someone dies they will likely be hit with such a lawsuit that they will lose everything as no insurance policy would cover a known danger which this represents. Not to mention the risk to the town and neighbors with this going on.

[Guest]

I drove past this rodeo last month and could not believe what a mess it was. There were hundreds of cars and a ton of people. The music was blaring. Now I find out alcohol is served. What a recipe for disaster. Now the police assaults and dui's. Is the stable doing anything to make it safer and more organized? Let's stop it from happening in the future. How does the town allow this???

[Guest]

tons of cars, lots of people, noise, alcohol, DUI's? Sounds like a ball game!

[Guest]

Gotta love the Mexican rodeo!

[Guest]

I thought it was Mexican Radio?

[publius]

24 years old is a juvenile?

[Guest]

[Guest]

I guess if its not a speeding complaint, towns people could careless!