Toms River Man Spit Blood On Officers, Flooded Jail Cell: Police

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River man is facing multiple charges after authorities say he spit blood on police officers, headbutted a mugshot camera and flooded a holding cell with a mattress after he was arrested in a criminal mischief case, Jackson police said.

Ralph Lezin, 28, is being held at the Ocean County Jail in Toms River on multiple charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, criminal mischief and additional charges are pending for threats toward police officers, Jackson Capt. Steven Laskiewicz said.

Police arrested Lezin Wednesday after a call to Pineview Apartments on West County Line Road, where a witness told police a man had been seen puncturing and flattening tires on a parked vehicle, Laskiewicz said.

The woman who owned the vehicle was contacted and she told officers she believed the man who damaged the tires was a former acquaintance with whom she had broken off contact, he said.

The woman told police she had seen the man in the parking lot earlier, and claimed he was continually attempting to make contact with her; she gave police the man's name and description, Laskiewicz said.

The man, later identified as Lezin, was found, walking, a short distance from the area where the tire vandalism happened, Laskiewicz said. He became uncooperative with the officers as they attempted to investigate and they arrested him on an obstruction charge, Laskiewicz said.

Once at headquarters Lezin became combative, kicking and activating an emergency button in the processing area several times, turning over a table, and Laskiewicz said Lezin headbutted the mugshot camera and damaged the bracket that holds it.

After officers put Lezin in a holding cell, he jammed the mattress from the cot into the toilet and began flooding the cell, Laskiewicz said.

When Lezin was told he was being moved to the Ocean County Jail, he headbutted an officer in the face and began kicking and kneeing several other officers who were assisting, Laskiewicz said. A struggle ensued and Lezin started spitting blood into the faces of several officers from an injury he received during the struggle, he said.

Lezin was ultimately restrained and checked by Jackson First Aid, then taken to an area hospital for treatment before he was taken to the jail. Laskiewicz said Lezin was aggressive with officers and hospital staff.

After being cleared from the hospital, he was then transported to the Ocean County Jail.

Lezin was charged with criminal mischief (for the vehicle tire, damage to the mug shot camera, to the mattress and in flooding the cell); obstruction by means of physical interference; aggravated assault on a police officer (for headbutting, kicking and kneeing multiple officers) and aggravated assault for throwing bodily fluid (for spitting blood at multiple officers). Additional charges for threats made toward the officers are pending, Laskiewicz said.

Laskiewicz said several officers were treated for minor injuries and for exposure to bodily fluids. The cellblock area and patrol vehicle used in the transport were secured until they could be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, he said.

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