Springfield man nabbed after assault

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

HATFIELD - A Springfield man allegedly assaulted his girlfriend Monday night, fled the scene drunk with a 12-year-old child in the car, assaulted a police officer and damaged a cruiser when he kicked out the back window, police said.

Joel Gonzalez, 27, of Springfield, pleaded innocent Tuesday in Northampton District Court to charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, child endangerment while operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, disorderly conduct, malicious damage to a motor vehicle, carrying a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a police officer and two counts of assault and battery.

At 9:38 p.m., Lt. Timothy Paciorek responded to a reported domestic dispute at "The Shallows," a known late-night party spot off of Little Nonponset Road. Paciorek learned from a caller that the aggressor in the dispute had fled the scene drunk in a white Lincoln, according to court documents.

Several minutes later, Paciorek reportedly saw a vehicle matching the description speeding down Elm Court. While attempting to pull the car over, Paciorek reported that Gonzalez shouted out his window at him and nearly hit his cruiser. After stopping the car and drawing his weapon, Paciorek ordered Gonzalez to the rear of the Lincoln, where he became combative, according to court documents.

After placing Gonzalez in the back of his cruiser, Paciorek spoke with several witnesses, who said Gonzalez had attacked his girlfriend by holding her down and choking her.

Although she did not want to press charges, the victim had red marks on both sides of her neck and was covered in mud, according to police.

Upon hearing he would be placed under arrest, Gonzalez kicked out the back window and bent the door frame of the police cruiser that he was being held in, police said.

When he tried to crawl out of the cruiser, Trooper Brendhan Shugrue of Northampton's state police barracks sprayed him with pepper spray. An inventory of Gonzalez's car revealed several knives, including a double-edged switchblade in the driver's door pocket, according to court documents.

Hatfield Ambulance was called to the scene to treat minor injuries that Gonzalez sustained while trying to escape; he was transported to Cooley Dickinson Hospital, where he continued to be uncooperative, according to court documents.

Gonzalez has two open cases on his record that were continued without a finding until Sept. 9, one of which was for disorderly conduct. He has several other assault and battery offenses on his record, some of which involved knives, according to court documents.

Judge William Hadley ordered Gonzalez held on $500 bail or $5,000 surety, and he did not post bail Tuesday. Gonzalez is scheduled to reappear in court for a pretrial hearing on Sept. 17.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.