Christopher Jimenez Charged After Assaulting Springfield Police Officers

A Springfield, Massachusetts police officer suffered a serious head injury Monday afternoon after being punched in the jaw by a 27-year-old man, masslive.com reported.

Punch on a driveway sends officer to the hospital

Christopher K. Jimenez approached a Cleveland Street construction zone around 2:30 p.m., where officers were working a traffic detail, and hopped into a work truck, police said. A 911 call from Jimenez’s family had reported that he was in a crisis.

Officers went to a nearby home, where Jimenez was outside talking to his brother and not making sense, according to a court-filed report. He pushed his brother. Police stepped in. Jimenez punched one officer in the jaw, sending him backward so that he struck his head on the asphalt driveway.

Mental health evaluation ordered for man accused of assaulting police officer

Two other officers tried to restrain him; he resisted and tried to kick them, injuring one officer’s wrist. Backup arrived as Jimenez was being handcuffed, police spokesperson Ryan Walsh said. All three officers went to the hospital — one with a serious head injury, one with a wrist injury, and the third for precautionary reasons. Jimenez also went to the hospital for minor injuries.

Not guilty plea, $250,000 bail, hospital evaluation

Jimenez was charged with resisting arrest, assault and battery, and assault and battery on a police officer. At his arraignment Tuesday, he pleaded not guilty, and a judge set bail at $250,000. He was taken to Bridgewater State Hospital for a mental health evaluation.