Police officer assaulted with flagpole during wellness check in Gloucester City
Authorities say the 41-year-old man also set an uncontained fire in his front yard.
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A wellness check in Gloucester City took a turn when police say a man tried to assault an officer with a flagpole.
Police say a patrol officer responded to Princeton Avenue on Jan. 18 to perform a well-being check on a resident at that address who was believed to be having a mental health episode. A caller told police that the man, later identified as George Jacob, 41, cut a component on the air conditioning compressor. As a result, freon - a gas used as a refrigerant - began to spray from the unit.
When police arrived to speak with Jacob, they found him outside carrying an American flag and two additional poles, including one with a stake at the end that resembled a pitchfork, authorities said in a statement.
"During the encounter, the male attempted to assault the officer with the tri-point stake and struck the officer upon the face," police said.
Jacob, police later learned, had also started an "uncontained" fire in front of his home.
Jacob was taken into custody with the help of bystanders, according to police. Jacob was charged with multiple offenses, including aggravated assault on a police officer, arson, weapons possession and resisting arrest. He was transported to a hospital for an evaluation and was released nine days later to the custody of Camden County Department of Corrections Facility. He was released less than 24 hours later, pending a court hearing.
