NORRISTOWN >> A Pottstown man potentially faces some time behind bars after he admitted to assaulting a woman during a domestic violence incident and to assaulting police who responded to the scene.
Tadarrell Kennyetta Jones Jr., 22, of the 400 block of Jefferson Avenue, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to charges of aggravated and simple assault in connection with an October 2016 incident at his residence. Judge Garrett D. Page deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigative report about Jones, including drug, alcohol and mental health evaluations.
Jones, who remains free on bail pending sentencing, faces a possible maximum sentence of 11 to 22 years in prison on the charges. However, state sentencing guidelines could allow for a lesser sentence.
An investigation began about 9 p.m. Oct. 28, 2016, when Pottstown police were dispatched to the Jefferson Avenue residence for a report of a “physical domestic” incident. Arriving officers found a woman, who was physically upset, screaming and crying and bleeding heavily from the mouth and nose, on a sofa in the living room.
Jones also was observed in the residence packing tools and at that time uttered to police, “I’m packing my things before I go to jail,” according to the arrest affidavit. When officers attempted to detain Jones he began to struggle and fight with them, court papers alleged.
“The defendant continued resisting verbal commands by officers and continued fighting officers in the living room, tackling officers, meanwhile breaking furniture and knocking various items over in the process,” Pottstown Police Officer Matthew Maciejewski alleged in the arrest affidavit. “The defendant continued to be aggressive and non-compliant and continued to resist being handcuffed. This altercation with the defendant caused both officers to sustain injuries to their person.”
After officers were able to take Jones into custody they talked to the victim of the domestic assault.
The woman told police Jones punched her several times in the face and eye during an argument while they were at a local drug store. The argument continued when the pair returned to the Jefferson Avenue residence and when the woman attempted to call police Jones struck her in the face and nose several more times, according to the criminal complaint.
Under state law, by pleading guilty to the simple assault charge, Jones admitted that he intentionally or recklessly caused bodily injury to the woman. By pleading guilty to the aggravated assault charges, Jones admitted that he attempted to cause or caused bodily injury to police officers who were performing their duties.
