TimesLeader.com

Avoca officer injured during struggle

Edward Lewis elewis@timesleader.com

AVOCA - A Pittston man stopped by police for hitch hiking was arrested after he allegedly assaulted an officer early Thursday morning.

Mark Christian Thomas, 41, of Gedding Street, was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, resisting arrest, institutional vandalism, harassment, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $50,000 bail.

According to the criminal complaint:

An Avoca police officer stopped Thomas for hitch hiking in the area of Main and Clark streets. Thomas told the officer, "I'm (expletive) walking home. I'm bombed and I want a (expletive) ride." 

Thomas refused the officers commands to stop yelling and refused to remove his hands from pockets. Thomas struggled with the officer causing the side view mirror on the police cruiser to break, the criminal complaint says.

Police said in the criminal complaint that they found a pocket knife in Thomas' pocket. The officer was treated for back injuries at a local hospital.

A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled on May 28 in Central Court.