New Jersey man jailed after Newark officer seriously injured in station tussle

A Newark officer remains in a rehabilitation center with a serious head injury more than two weeks after being tripped by a man he was arresting, police said on Monday. 

Newark Police also said more serious charges have been filed against 19-year-old Alexander Mastronardi, of Bernardsville, New Jersey. 

The incident began early on March 23 when the officer saw Mastronardi holding onto the door handle of a vehicle, as the driver yelled at him to let go, police said.

Mastronardi also ignored the officer’s command to stop, police said. The officer was able to stop Mastronardi, who then tried to punch the officer.

Mastronardi was arrested and taken to Newark Police headquarters.

Once there, police said he resisted officers' efforts to remove him from the vehicle, refused to provide any identifying information and struggled with officers. 

After he threatened officers at the police station, Mastronardi used his legs to trip one of the officers, who struck his head on a metal counter before falling to the concrete floor, police said. 

The officer was taken to an area hospital in serious condition, where he remained for more than a week. The officer has since been transferred to a rehabilitation center for further treatment.

Mastronardi was originally charged with misdemeanor offenses and released. But on Monday those charges were dropped and Mastronardi was charged with more serious offenses, including first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with force or violence, disorderly conduct by obstructing vehicular or pedestrian traffic and underage consumption of alcohol.

Mastronardi was taken into custody taken to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution where he was held on $32,400 secured bail. 

Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3.

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