COATESVILLE — In the wake of attacks on police in Dallas and Baton Rouge, violence against local police came home to Chester County when a man allegedly attacked a City Police officer in broad daylight with a rock — an incident that sent a police officer to the hospital with injuries.
At approximately 1:50 p.m. Monday, Coatesville Police Patrolman Jared Davis was on patrol in a marked police car near north 5th Ave and East Lincoln Highway when a male subject allegedly stepped off the sidewalk near the Coatesville Area Public Library and threw a large rock at the officer’s vehicle, shattering the windshield.
As the officer exited the vehicle, the male suspect, identified as Eric Watson, reportedly attacked Davis and attempted to strike him in the head, with the same rock. Police officials state that when Davis attempted to take the suspect into custody, he resisted arrest and required additional officers to restrain him.
The department posted a video of the incident:
One officer sustained a chest injury during the altercation and was taken to Paoli Hospital, where he id being treated for a broken sternum.
Watson, was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, institutional vandalism, resisting arrest and other related charges.
