Teenage Girl Charged With Assaulting Police Officers

A 16-year-old Lawrence Township girl was arrested last week after she allegedly assaulted two township police officers who, suspecting the teen had been drinking alcohol, had threatened to escort her home to her mother, according to Lawrence Township police spokesman Lt. Mark Ubry.

Arrested the following day was the 55-year-old township man who, police allege, allowed the girl to drink in his apartment.

Ubry said it was about 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6, when police received a complaint about a group of juveniles acting in a disorderly manner near the gazebo of the Avalon Run East apartment complex.

Responding officers did not locate the group near the gazebo but they were directed toward an apartment in Building 10, off Maple Leaf Drive, that the juveniles were alleged “to frequent,” Ubry said.

He said officers arrived just as the 16-year-old was exiting the apartment. Detective Scott Caloiaro, recognizing the girl from prior dealings, began to question her and allegedly detected an odor of alcohol on her breath, he said.

Caloiaro advised the girl that officers were going to take her home, but she refused to cooperate, Ubry said. He said she, with closed fists, punched Caloiaro in the head and Officer James Vardanega in the chest.

The 16-year-old was arrested for aggravated assault on the two police officers, along with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and hindering apprehension, Ubry said. He said she was also charged with underage drinking, which is a township ordinance violation.

Follow-up investigation led to the arrest on Friday, Sept. 7, of the resident of that Maple Leaf Drive apartment – Dominick M. Fioravanti, 55, according to Ubry. He said the arrest was made by Detective Caloiaro, Vardanega and Sgt. Joseph Caloiaro.

Ubry said Fioravanti was charged with numerous offenses, including serving alcohol to minors, making a property available for the underage consumption of alcohol, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, and obstructing the administration of law.