LAMBERTVILLE: E. Amwell man faces varied charges

By Linda Seida, Staff Writer
   LAMBERTVILLE — A stolen pack of Newport cigarettes led to the aggravated assault of a city police officer Saturday.
   The officer, Sgt. Robert Brown, was uninjured, police said Monday.
   Police charged Christopher Parson, 24, of Snydertown Road, East Amwell Township, with aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, shoplifting and theft.
   The alleged suspect, who also is accused of stealing almost $40 worth of gas from a city station, was transported to the Hunterdon Medical Center for evaluation before being lodged in the Hunterdon County Jail, with bail set at a full $5,000.
   Police said the suspect was taken for a medical evaluation because of suspected mental instability, based on the things he said and the manner of his speech.
   The events Sunday began to unfold at about 4:50 p.m. when Sgt. Brown and Officer Joseph Weber responded to a call from the Fine Food and Flowers Deli, on Bridge Street. The store reported a light-fingered customer.
   The customer had asked the clerk for a pack of Newports. The clerk handed the cigarettes over, expecting to receive payment. Instead, the customer ran away without paying. The clerk gave chase, but was unable to keep up with the man.
   It ended up not mattering. The customer, Mr. Parson, had left his car in the parking lot, police said.
   Sgt. Brown found a man matching the suspect’s description standing in the middle of Route 165. Mr. Parson identified himself and said he needed a ride home.
   Sgt. Brown grabbed Mr. Parson’s arm and told him he was under arrest, but he “struck the officer in the chest and ran off,” police said. Sgt. Brown ran after him.
   Police said Mr. Parson ran north on Route 179 and jumped a guardrail, tumbled down an embankment and landed in the backyard of a North Franklin Street home. Police caught up with Mr. Parson, took him into custody and had his vehicle towed from the deli’s parking lot.
   Later at police headquarters, Luis Garcia, who works at the Gasco Gas Station, on South Franklin Street, reported a theft of gas totaling $36.93 that had occurred at about 4:30 p.m. the same day. He said the vehicle had the same license plate number as Mr. Parson’s vehicle, according to police, and that he drove away without paying for the fuel.
   Mr. Parson refused treatment when members of the Lambertville-New Hope Ambulance and Rescue Squad responded to evaluate him, police said.
   Mr. Parson admitted stealing the cigarettes and leaving the station without paying for the gas, according to police.