A Pine Grove Township man faces possible prison time after being convicted Monday in Schuylkill County Court of assaulting a police officer last June.
Carl W. Adams, 57, did not react as a jury pronounced him guilty of simple assault and resisting arrest and not guilty of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct. The jury of eight women and four men deliberated a little more than an hour before reaching its verdict at the end of a one-day trial presided over by Judge Charles M. Miller.
After the verdict, Miller ordered preparation of a presentence investigation and scheduled Adams' sentencing for 2 p.m. May 30. Miller allowed Adams to remain free on $10,000 percentage bail pending sentencing.
Adams faces a maximum prison term of two to four years in a state correctional institution.
Pine Grove police charged Adams with assaulting Cpl. Christopher Cruz about 9:40 p.m. July 21 during a traffic stop in the unit block of North Tulpehocken Street (Route 125) in the borough.
" 'I hate cops. I've always hated cops,' " was what Adams said after his arrest, Cruz testified.
Cruz, who was the only prosecution witness, said he stopped Adams because his pickup truck's tail lights were out. However, Adams immediately left his truck, uttered obscenities, made an obscene gesture and started walking away from the scene, Cruz said.
"He ignored my orders" to return to his truck, Cruz testified of Adams.
Cruz said he grabbed Adams, who promptly grabbed him and forced him into a fence with his full weight.
"I was very concerned for my well-being. I was gasping for air," Cruz testified.
Cruz said he grabbed Adams, who tried to flee, and then shot him with a Taser, Cruz said Adams tried to flee again, but he shot him again with the Taser and the defendant went down.
Adams testified he was visiting his girlfriend's borough house to let out her dogs, that Cruz never used either his car's lights or its siren and that the first he knew of the police officer was when he yelled, "Get back in your vehicle" at him. A fight quickly ensued, Adams said.
"We both fell down against the fence and were laying on the sidewalk," Adams said.
He said Cruz shot him with the Taser several times, including after he was in handcuffs, even though he had done nothing to warrant it.
"Did you take any aggressive action toward Cpl. Cruz that evening?" Stephen P. Ellwood, Pottsville, Adams' lawyer, asked him.
"No," Adams said.
Also testifying for Adams were his sister, Debbie Felty, who said his truck's lights were working that night, and Michael Bertasavage, Lake Wynonah, who said he saw Cruz both shooting the defendant with a Taser and trying to handcuff him.
However, Bertasavage and Felty each testified that Cruz's car's lights were on.
In his closing argument, Ellwood urged jurors to acquit Adams of all charges.
"There is no proof of the physical menace. He suffered no bodily injury whatsoever," Ellwood said of Cruz.
On the other hand, Assistant District Attorney Douglas J. Taglieri said in his closing argument that Adams was not a believable witness and that the jury should convict him.
"The defendant hates cops, and that's what he said," Taglieri said. "This was an intentional act. The defendant grabbed Cpl. Cruz." Defendant: Carl W. Adams
Age: 57
Residence: Pine Grove Township
Verdict: Guilty of simple assault and resisting arrest, not guilty of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct