Two cops injured as Burks arrests New Jersey wanted man on roadside

21 March. Two State Troopers from Reading suffered minor injuries while trying to arrest a New Jersey fugitive whose car broke down in northeastern Berks County, investigators said.

The soldiers used a taser and a chemical spray during the fight before Michael J. Mazza, 40, was taken into custody around noon Monday in the 100 block of Long Dam Road in the township of McSutoni, according to a criminal lawsuit.

Mazza, from Ocean Township, New Jersey, was sent to the Berks County Jail in lieu of a $20,000 bail after Senior District Judge Gloria W. Stitzel was charged in Reading Central Court.

He is charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, terrorist threats and resisting arrest.

According to the investigators:

Troopers Colleen Reber and Christian Reistroffer were sent to retrieve a defective vehicle in the 100 block of Long Dam Road. Upon arrival, they found an SUV with a temporary New Jersey license plate.

They approached the car and contacted Mazza, who was behaving inappropriately. An examination of his driver’s license revealed a valid arrest warrant issued on March 13 by Ocean Township Police for obstruction of a court order.

The soldiers told Mazza that he was under arrest because of a valid warrant. As Mazza got out of the car, Reistroffer grabbed his left arm while Reber dragged him by his right arm.

Mazza tried to hit Reber with his elbows. Reistroffer attempted to control Mazza by grabbing both of his arms, but Mazza broke free and began to run away.

Reber activated the stun gun, but Mazza kept running with the probes on his back, snapping the wires connecting them to the stun gun.

Mazza stumbled over a log. Reber climbed on him, and Reifstroffer used a stun gun, hitting Mazza in the leg. Mazza shouted to the soldiers that he was going to kill them.

Mazza managed to get up, and Reber knocked him to the ground, while Reifstroffer pointed his chemical canister at the suspect. As they tried to handcuff him, Mazza rolled onto his back and started kicking both soldiers in the shins until he was finally captured.

Reber suffered cuts to his knees and shins, and Reistroffer suffered a dislocated or broken thumb.