Intoxicated Man Kicked a Cop in the Face, Police Say

A New Jersey man was drunk and kicked a Penn State Police detective in the face and chest on Saturday afternoon in downtown State College, according to a criminal complaint.

The detective and a State College officer, who were on patrol for State Patty’s Day, were at an unrelated incident just before 5 p.m. on the 600 block of West College Avenue when they observed a male staggering and stumbling along the sidewalk curb. Concerned he would stumble into traffic, the officers went across the street and stopped him.

The male, later identified as Jason C. New, 21, immediately became verbally combative and refused to identify himself, police said. He reportedly had a strong odor of alcohol and swayed as he stood. Police said he was angry, tensed his arms and told officers he was ‘of alcohol,’ meaning to say he was ‘of age.’

When New began to turn away, he was handcuffed and placed under arrest for public drunkenness. A preliminary breath test resulted in a .264 blood alcohol concentration, according to the complaint. Police said he screamed at the officers and continued to refuse to provide information as he sat on the ground.

Centre LifeLink EMS was called to the scene and New was escorted to the side door entrance of an ambulance. He attempted to push through the officers to exit and had to be pushed down onto a stretcher after refusing to do so on his own, police said. New then allegedly kicked the Penn State detective in the mouth and jaw once and in the chest and stomach area several times.

After he was subdued and taken to the hospital, New kicked at hospital security and a nurse while screaming obscenities, police said.

New was charged with felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor resisting arrest and a summary offense of public drunkenness.

He was arraigned before District Judge Allen Sinclair and unsecured bail was set at $10,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 7.