Simmons
Ayala
NEWBURGH – An early morning incident in Newburgh Wednesday led
to the arrests of a man and woman on gun possession and other charges.
Shortly after 12:30 a.m., city police received a call of a man with a
gun, threatening a woman in the area of City Terrace and Carter Street.
Sgt. Kevin Lahar, who was on an unrelated traffic stop around the corner,
approached on foot and spotted a man and woman engaged in a physical confrontation.
Lahar and converging patrol units engaged the man, later identified as
Marcus Simmons, 20, of Newburgh, and ordered him to drop the gun. Instead,
he fled on foot north of City Terrace and tossed the gun over a fence
in the area of 81 City Terrace. It was recovered.
Officers chased Simmons and took him into custody after a fight. While
being placed under arrest, police said the woman, Casandra Ayala, 19,
also of Newburgh, jumped on their backs protesting the arrest.
Simmons was ultimately charged with criminal possession of a weapon, resisting
arrest, and obstructing governmental administration.
Ayala was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and obstructing
governmental administration.
Two of the officers suffered minor injuries during the case.
“This incident is another example of our officers’ service,
courage and commitment to keeping our community safe,” said Police
Chief Daniel Cameron. It is written on our police cars for a reason.”
