The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

May 27, 2008

Teen charged with assaulting Sharon patrolman

By Courtney Anderson

SHARON — A Sharon teen faces aggravated assault and other charges after police said he pushed and punched an officer during an incident Friday afternoon at Willow Village.

Police said they were called at 2:24 p.m. to the Sterling Avenue apartment complex for a report of harassment.

Bobby L. Bender Jr., 19, of 432 Malleable St., Sharon, was cited for harassment and criminal trespassing because he was not supposed to be on the property, police said.

While police were detaining Bender, members of a crowd that gathered became disorderly and yelled at police, police said.

A 17-year-old boy yelled obscenities and approached a policeman in an aggressive manner, police said. The policeman put his hands up and told the boy to back up but then the boy shoved the policeman and started to throw punches, police said.

The two began to roll around on the ground and another patrolman used pepper spray on the teenager. The policeman scuffling with the boy was also sprayed, police said.

The teen was petitioned to juvenile court on charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, obstruction of law and resisting arrest, police said. He was put in shelter care, police said.

The boy and the Sharon patrolman were treated for the effects of pepper spray, police said. They suffered no other injuries.

Bender pleaded guilty May 8 to a disorderly conduct charge stemming from having a knife when he was arrested in March 2007 at Sharon High School in a separate case in which the charges were withdrawn.

It’s the second time in about a month that a city teen has been charged for assaulting a policeman. A 15-year-old boy was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and disorderly conduct after an incident April 22 in the 200 block of Baldwin Avenue. That boy’s father, 14-year-old sister and 13-year-old brother were also cited for disorderly conduct when they interfered with police trying to arrest the boy, police said.

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