Brick Man Faces Assault, Drug Charges Following Traffic Stop Altercation

A Brick Police officer suffered minor injuries after a man with outstanding warrants – who he witnessed getting into the passenger side of a pickup truck – wrestled with the truck's driver and tried to put the vehicle in gear, during a traffic stop.

Patrolman Erik Olsen made the traffic stop Tuesday at 3:54 p.m. after he saw Robert Spinelli, 47, of Drum Point Road, who he knew to have outstanding warrants, get in the passenger side of a Chevrolet pickup truck later determined to be driven by Michael Riveria, according to Capt. John Rein.

As Olsen approached the pickup, Spinelli began to exit the vehicle, then returned after being ordered back in by Olsen. As he approached the truck, Olsen observed the vehicle's backup lights and brake lights turn on, then heard the engine begin to race. Olsen jumped out of the way, then approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and observed Spinelli reaching over from the passenger side and struggling with the driver in an attempt to place the vehicle in gear and back up, Rein said.

Spinelli refused Olsen's orders to stop, said Rein, then locked the vehicle's doors. Olsen made entry into the truck by breaking the passenger side window and attempted to remove Spinelli, who was resisting and struck the officer several times, according to Rein. Eventually, with the help of an off-duty Lakewood officer who witnessed the incident, Spinelli was placed in custody.

Spinelli was charged with with failure to appear based on the initial $270 warrant out of Sayreville, and with numerous drug offenses after police obtained consent from Riveria to search the vehicle.

Under the seat where Spinelli was sitting, police found a 5-inch steak knife, screw driver and copper mesh, commonly used as drug paraphernalia. Officers also recovered two glass smoking pipes with suspected drug residue from Spinelli’s pants pocket upon his arrest.

In addition to the initial warrant, Spinelli was charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of weapon, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Brick Municipal Court Judge Robert Lepore set bail on Spinelli at $125,000 with no ten percent option. Spinelli was remanded to the Ocean County Jail in lieu of bail.

Olsen was treated and released from Ocean Medical Center, having suffered minor injuries to his right hand, Rein said.