Man Arrested for Allegedly Assaulting Police Officer During “Black Friday” Sales at Wal-Mart in Garfield, New Jersey
By Travis Tormey posted in Assault and Threat Crimes on Friday, November 29, 2013
On Thanksgiving night, Garfield NJ police arrested a man who allegedly got into an argument with a Wal-Mart employee and then assaulted a police officer.
Garfield police were called to the Wal-Mart on Passaic Street after 23-year-old Richard Ramos of Passaic NJ became involved in an argument in the store’s electronics department. The conflict involved a television that was on sale. Mr. Ramos allegedly argued with another patron before the problem escalated, at which time the store’s manager called police.
When police officers arrived at the store, Mr. Ramos proceeded to have an altercation with one of the officers. He was subsequently pepper sprayed and arrested.
Mr. Ramos is now facing charges for aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.
Police were anticipating a very busy weekend, beginning on Thursday night, due to the famous “Black Friday” sales provided by stores during the weekend immediately following Thanksgiving. As such, the Garfield police and fire departments were stationed near Wal-Mart and surrounding retailers to provide security oversight. In addition, Wal-Mart had enlisted 22 police officers to assist with maintaining a peaceful atmosphere during the annual rush.
At the time of Mr. Ramos’ alleged offenses, the store was littered with individuals shopping, which provided many potential witnesses to the sequence of events.
As for the potential consequences for Mr. Ramos, he could be facing serious penalties if convicted of the alleged offenses. In New Jersey, aggravated assault is governed under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b). As set forth by the statute, aggravated assault can be considered a crime of the second, third, or fourth degree, depending upon the circumstances of the specific incident. If Mr. Ramos is convicted of aggravated assault on a police officer, he could be looking at a term of incarceration ranging from 18 months to five (5) years in NJ State Prison.
Mr. Ramos is currently being held at the Bergen County Correctional Facility in Hackensack NJ, with his bail set at $20,000.
For more information, see the NJ.com article entitled “Man Pepper Sprayed, Arrested After Thanksgiving Shopping Dispute at Garfield Wal-Mart.”
