Monroe Township, NJ — A 31-year-old Williamstown man faces aggravated assault charges after Monroe Township police say he spit at officers responding to a fight at an apartment complex Saturday morning along the Black Horse Pike.
Police were dispatched around 8:43 a.m. to Laurelton Village Apartments at 601 North Black Horse Pike for reports of two men fighting and one allegedly threatening to retrieve a weapon, according to the Monroe Township Police Department.
When officers arrived, investigators said they attempted to calm the situation but encountered hostility from one of the men involved.
Police identified the suspect as Toyeon Murry-Ross, 31, of Williamstown.
Officer Struck During Arrest, Police Say
According to Monroe Township police, Murry-Ross became increasingly irate during the arrest and allegedly attempted to spit on Sgt. Mike Prus before spitting again toward Officer Anthony Tomasello.
Investigators said the bodily fluid struck Tomasello on the shoulder.
Police charged Murry-Ross with two counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement involving bodily fluids, along with disorderly conduct and obstructing the administration of law.
Key Points
• Monroe Township police arrested a Williamstown man after a fight call at Laurelton Village Apartments
• Investigators say the suspect spit at two officers, striking one on the shoulder
• The 31-year-old faces aggravated assault and disorderly conduct charges
Authorities later transported Murry-Ross to Salem County Jail, where he was remanded on Complaint-Warrant 0811-W-2026-000467.
The incident unfolded at the Laurelton Village Apartments complex, a residential property located along the heavily traveled Black Horse Pike corridor in Gloucester County.
Department Condemns Assault on Officers
In a statement released with the charges, Monroe Township police defended the officers’ actions and condemned assaults involving bodily fluids against law enforcement personnel.
“Our officers come to work each day to serve and protect the community, often under challenging circumstances,” the department stated. “Spitting on an officer is a deliberate act of aggression that is unacceptable and will be addressed accordingly under the law.”
Under New Jersey law, throwing or expelling bodily fluids at law enforcement officers can result in aggravated assault charges, even when no physical injury occurs.
Police have not released additional information about the original dispute that prompted the response or whether any weapon was recovered during the incident.