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KINGSTON TWP. — Township police arrested a man they say assaulted several police officers investigating a domestic dispute spurred by a woman denying him vodka early Tuesday morning.
Justin James Ciocca, 30, of South Loveland Avenue, Kingston, became enraged when a woman denied him liquor inside a residence on Harford Avenue just after 3 a.m., according to court records.
Several police officers responded to the residence finding Ciocca on the second floor screaming and aggressive toward officers, court records say.
Ciocca refused to identify himself and attempted to push himself pass an officer who put his hands up to stop him.
Ciocca grabbed the officer’s hands and attempted to pull the officer closer to him, which initiated a struggle before he was handcuffed and seated in a chair.
As Ciocca sat in the chair, a woman inside the residence claimed Ciocca entered her room and wanted to talk. When Ciocca noticed a bottle of vodka, he asked if he could have a drink, court records say.
The woman refused to give Ciocca a drink as the homeowner warned her not to give Ciocca any liquor.
She claimed Ciocca punched her in the head and grabbed her throat, the complaint says.
While officers were speaking with the woman, Ciocca began screaming and yelling. During a struggle, Ciocca spat on and licked an officer, and kicked the officer in the genitals, according to the complaint.
Officers were escorting Ciocca down stairs when he attempted to get away from their grasps, causing him and an officer to fall down the steps. After they landed, Ciocca allegedly kicked an officer in the face.
An officer stunned Ciocca with a Taser to regain control.
Ciocca was taken to a cruiser where he banged his head off the police vehicle and attempted to headbutt officers resulting in an officer to stun Ciocca a second time, the complaint says.
Police in the complaint say Ciocca was under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance.
Ciocca was taken to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital for evaluation. He was arraigned at the hospital by District Judge Brian Tupper on four counts of simple assault, three counts of aggravated assault and a single count of resisting arrest.
Tupper withheld bail deeming Ciocca a flight risk and to himself and the public and jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.