Ron Agrella

Wareham Officer Injured in Arrest

Juvenile passenger faces assault charges

A Wareham police investigation ended in the arrest of a teen-ager who assaulted two officers as well as a driver who was allegedly intoxicated, according to a department news release.

The incident occurred Friday afternoon as police responded to the area of Viking Drive, where the high school is located, after someone reported an intoxicated person in the area. Two officers pulled the suspect's car over on Marion Road, and asked the 47-year-old driver, Jennifer Keaton of Wareham, to step from the car and take a field sobriety test, according to police. That's when a young female passenger intervened, police said.

"During this time a 17-year-old female jumped from the car and began swearing and making obscene gestures at buses and cars as they passed by," police said.

The officers told the girl, identified only as a juvenile, to get back in the car, police said.

"She refused to do that, instead swinging her arms, assaulting both Officers," according to police. "The individual aggressively resisted arrest and the officers fell to the pavement during the scuffle."

Police arrested the juvenile and charged Keaton with driving under the influence of liquor, child endangerment while operating under the influence, and disturbing the peace. Keaton was scheduled to appear in Wareham District Court Monday.

The juvenile was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and resisting arrest.

One of the officers was treated and released from Tobey Hospital due to a knee injury during the incident.

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