GIRARDVILLE - A man who assaulted a Girardville police officer on Jan. 31 resulting in him being shot was released from the hospital Friday and jailed.
Carmen Almonti, 31, of 120 Line St., Girardville, was taken from Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, to the Schuylkill County Prison where he was arraigned on charges stemming from the 1:45 a.m. attack on Patrolman Melville Tomeo.
Almonti was arraigned on one felony count of aggravated assault; misdemeanor offenses including two counts of simple assault and one count each of recklessly endangering another person and resisting arrest; and one summary count of harassment.
Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville, set bail at $50,000 straight cash and scheduled a preliminary hearing for noon Feb. 14.
State police Trooper Melissa Kyper of the Frackville station charged Almonti with the assault that occurred on the street outside of his home.
According to her criminal complaint, Kyler said the events leading up to the shooting unfolded when Nicole Ervolino went to the Girardville police station to report a domestic assault.
Tomeo, who was on duty at the time, took the woman back to her home where the assault occurred and met Almonti, who was outside.
Kyper said that Tomeo lowered the window on the police cruiser to speak with Almonti, who almost immediately struck the officer in the head.
Almonti continued to hit Tomeo despite being ordered to stop. At that time, Kyper said Tomeo used his Taser weapon against Almonti, but the man continued to ignore commands and aggressively resist the officer.
Tomeo then discharged his weapon and hit Almonti two times, Kyper said.
Despite being shot, Almonti still refused to obey and continued to act aggressively. When officers from neighboring communities arrived, he continued to resist, refused to lie on the ground and had to be Tased again.
At the scene, Kyper said Ervolino reported being at the home she and Almonti share watching a movie prior to the assault and that she fell asleep. The woman said she was awakened by Almonti who was in a "crazed" state, throwing items around the living room and then throwing her to the floor.
Ervolino said Almonti tried to grab her daughters and that she felt he was going to kill her, Kyper said.
Ervolino fled the home with her daughters and was able to flag down a motorist who gave her a ride to the police station to make a complaint.
Kyper said that Ervolino witnessed Almonti strike Tomeo through the window of the police cruiser and refuse to obey the commands of police.
Kyper said that when placed in handcuffs, Almonti continued to act belligerent and during transport to Geisinger by ambulance said he had consumed methamphetamine that night.
He was admitted to Geisinger for treatment of two gunshot wounds suffered while Tomeo was warding off the attack, Kyper said.
After the assault, Tomeo was taken to a Pottsville hospital for treatment of injuries he suffered in the assault.