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WILKES-BARRE — A New Jersey man is facing a slew of charges after troopers say he attacked a trooper and correctional officers while being transported to the county prison on unrelated charges.
Jonathan Ivan Palacios, 25, of Newark, N.J., is facing three felony counts of aggravated assault, three felony counts of aggravated harassment by prisoner, and several related misdemeanor and summary counts after he allegedly bit a state trooper attempting to bring him into the county prison and attacked two corrections officers.
Police say Palacios was arrested in Sugarloaf Township on charges of fleeing police, reckless endangerment and summary traffic offenses on Thursday evening. Bail on these charges was set at $75,000, so Palacios was being transported to the county prison.
While being transported into through the prison’s sally port, Palacios allegedly managed to remove his seatbelt and tried to exit the vehicle.
A state trooper, joined by correctional officers, attempted to restrain Palacios, when he allegedly bit the trooper on the forearm and kicked a correctional officer in the face through an open window. The window was opened to attempt to get to Palacios to restrain him. He also allegedly bit one of the correctional officers on the leg.
Police say Palacios’ attack was captured on video, and he allegedly threatened to kill all the people trying to restrain him.
The trooper and corrections officers were treated at local hospitals.
Palacios was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge James J. Haggerty, who set bail at $200,000, bringing his total bail up to $275,000. Records show he remained locked up as of Friday evening.