By DAVID REID dreid@repub.com HOLYOKE - A city police patrolman was hospitalized tonight with head injuries after, police say, he was attacked by a suspect and lost control of his cruiser, which slammed into an apartment at the Lyman Terrace Apartments downtown. The suspect, a resident of the subsidized apartment complex, was quickly apprehended and booked on attempted murder, assault and battery on a police officer and other charges. Arrested was Alfredo Rivera, 36, of 44 West Court, who was being held pending bail being set by a court magistrate. According to Police Chief Anthony R. Scott, Patrolman Wilfredo Guzman, the victim in the assault, was conscious after being taken by ambulance to the Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. Details of the incident were being assembled by police with the aid of a few witnesses who saw the incident. Hundreds of people - including residents, local and State Police, fire and ambulance personnel - flooded the street. The apartment's front was was partially collapsed, with its windows burst out and the heavily damaged cruiser's front end partially inside the unit. One male resident of the apartment, whose name was unavailable tonight, received minor injuries, police said. Raymond P. Murphy Jr., executive director of the Holyoke Housing Authority, said tonight he relocated the residents from all four building units to the Super 8 Motel on Northampton St., on the advice of the building commissioner. What police said they think happened was that Guzman stopped his cruiser in an alley behind High Street, between John and Hampden streets, to confront Rivera. Moments later, while Rivera was outside the vehicle, police alleged, he struck Guzman with a blunt instrument in the head, causing the officer to lose control of his cruiser, which surged ahead through the alley, across Hampden Street and into the apartment's front wall. There were no skid marks on the road. Blood could be seen on the driver-side air bag, which activated during the crash. "Someone assaulted him before the accident," Capt. Alan G. Fletcher said tonight. "But we're still trying to piece that together." Fletcher said Rivera was the only suspect. But he said the investigation will continue, with the cruiser being held for forensics along with other evidence. No weapon was found last night. Guzman is one of the most senior patrol officers whose duty included patrolling the federally subsidized Lyman Terrace complex downtown. Scott, reached at the hospital last night with Guzman and his son, said the officer was conscious but not speaking. According to Fletcher, Guzman's face was badly injured in the attack, with cuts and some broken bones. Detective Sgt. James M. Albert credited members of the public, some of whom live at Lyman Terrace, with providing information to police that led to Rivera's arrest. He said many residents of the apartment complex knew Guzman from his regular patrols there and his interaction with the residents. "Freddy's a great officer," said Albert. "And the public was pretty good. Some of them came forward, and we appreciate that." Among the charges against Rivera tonight were attempted murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery causing serious injury, breach of the peace while armed and disorderly conduct. The patrols are funded by the Weed and Seed Program, a federal grant program to reduce the influence of drugs, gangs and guns through police patrols, after-school and other social programs. Weed and Seed has been in place there for about two years.
Posted by: Sniper
Oh man....... This guy sat in his cruiser to speak with this knucklehead ??????
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