Fall River man facing several charges after allegedly assaulting Somerset Police officers and trashing an office

SOMERSET — Chief Todd Costa reports that the Somerset Police Department charged a man with disorderly conduct, destruction of property and assaulting police officers on Saturday.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., Somerset Police received a call reporting an individual that was allegedly destroying an office in a business at 1166 GAR Highway in Somerset.

Upon arrival at the scene, Somerset Police made contact with the business owner who directed them to an office and an individual later identified as 36-year-old James Patricio of Fall River.

According to police, Patricio was yelling loudly, and officers could see numerous items that had been thrown around the office, including a microwave and a toaster. Patricio allegedly entered a bathroom adjacent to the office, where he continued screaming and behaving irrationally despite officers’ commands, and then charged at officers.

Officers deployed a Taser, but it was not immediately effective. During an ensuing struggle, Patricio allegedly grabbed an officer’s firearm and attempted to remove it from the officer’s holster, without success.

Officers backed off to prevent the situation from escalating and continued attempting to use verbal commands to get Patricio to submit to arrest. Patricio allegedly continued damaging items in the bathroom and office, so police again attempted to gain custody of Patricio using a Taser, and on the second attempt the Taser enabled officers to get Patricio into a position that he could be handcuffed, even though he continued to struggle.

Officers then worked in concert with personnel from a Somerset Fire Department Ambulance to get Patricio secured to a stretcher for transport to a local hospital.

Neither Patricio nor the officers involved were injured.

Patricio was charged with Assault and Battery on a Police Officer, Assault and Battery in Attempt to Disarm a Police Officer, Assault and Battery, Malicious Destruction of Property Under $1,200, Disorderly Conduct, and Resisting Arrest.

Patricio was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and will be summonsed to court to face charges at a later date.

“I am grateful for the training and professionalism of the officers who responded to this call involving an individual who was behaving both violently and irrationally,” said Chief Costa. “Somerset Police Officers are trained to use restraint, and to use their extensive training to effect arrests with the least amount of force possible, and these officers did an excellent job of bringing this situation under control without anyone being injured.”