Jamestown officer injured in attack
By ROBERT RIZZUTO
Special to the OBSERVER
JAMESTOWN - A Maryland resident and two Chautauqua County women are in the county jail after an incident where two Jamestown police officers were attacked while responding to a call early Wednesday morning.
According to Capt. Robert Samuelson, around 2:50 a.m., police were called to North Main Street near West 10th Street for a reported fight.
When an officer on patrol arrived, he approached Jermaine J. Gordon, 21, of Bowie, Md., who was with two females, 20-year-olds Angel Hodnett and Kayla S. Thomas, both of Jamestown.
Samuelson said that as one officer approached, Gordon allegedly tackled him to the ground and punched him repeatedly in the face, causing significant injuries.
As another officer who arrived at the same time tried to intervene, Hodnett allegedly kicked him, preventing him from backing up his colleague. Hodnett allegedly interfered further, allowing Gordon to flee from the scene.
When additional officers arrived, a search for Gordon began as Hodnett and Thomas were both taken into custody.
An investigation revealed that Gordon and the two female companions had recently left an unnamed establishment in the area and were being loud, causing a citizen to call the police to report what seemed to be a fight.
A short time after Gordon ran from the scene, he was found walking in downtown Jamestown. Samuelson said that detectives learned that Gordon was in Jamestown visiting family and he attended a funeral earlier in the week.
Gordon was taken into custody and is facing several charges, including felony assault against a police officer, resisting arrest, second-degree obstruction of governmental administration, felony criminal mischief, second-degree criminal personation and disorderly conduct.
Ms. Hodnett was charged with felony second-degree assault, resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration. Ms. Thomas was charged with obstruction of governmental administration and disorderly conduct.
The trio was arraigned by John LaMancuso, Jamestown City Court judge, Wednesday afternoon and Gordon and Hodnett were taken to the Chautauqua County Jail, where they were held without bail. They will return to court Nov. 25 for a preliminary hearing.
Thomas was sent to the county jail in lieu of $1,500 bail and will return to court on Jan. 19, 2010, for a pretrial hearing.
"This was a horrible act and we're glad we were able to make an arrest so quickly," Samuelson said. "The officer was injured pretty badly, but he has been released from the hospital, although he will likely be out of work for a while."
