Willimantic police arrested a man who attacked a female police officer in the evening on Christmas and who fought with several other officers, sending three more to the hospital, police said.
Edgardo Santos, 49, of Willimantic, is accused of assaulting a female Willimantic police officer in an Ives Street driveway at about 10 p.m. on Friday, police said.
The man was eventually subdued and taken to the Willimantic Police Department. He was combative again when they arrived and fought with multiple officers, police said.
After police contained him in a secure holding cell, he spit blood at several officers, resulting in three having to go to Windham Hospital to be treated for exposure to his blood, police said. The female officer attacked was also treated for injuries to her left leg and has since been released from the hospital. One of the male police officers hospitalized was treated for a bite to his hand after the incident handling Santos in his cell and he has since been released from the hospital, police said. So have the other two officers hospitalized.
"I am pleased to report that all of the assaulted police officers have been treated and released from the Windham Hospital emergency room prior to midnight. This is a most unfortunate incident where officers could have been seriously injured," Cpl. Stanley Parizo Jr., public information officer for Willimantic police, said in a statement early Saturday morning.
Santos was arrested and held in police custody on a $100,000 cash/surety bond. He is facing breach of peace, interfering with police, criminal trespass and four counts of assault on a police officer charges. Police have since additional charged him with failure to be fingerprinted and said Saturday night he continued to be uncooperative with police at the station.
He is due in Danielson Superior Court on Dec. 28.
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All officers injured have returned to full duty "without missing any time," Parizo said.
