Domestic aggressor shocked during hospital visit

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SAUGERTIES – A Coxsackie man was arrested in Saugerties early Thursday morning after police responded to a domestic disturbance on Clermont Street.  The man was processed on charges from the domestic incident and then turned over to the Village of Catskill Police who had an outstanding warrant for the subject.

Kovacs

Saugerties Police have charged 31-year-old Matthew Anthony Kovacs with unlawful imprisonment, resisting arrest, and obstructing governmental administration for the 1:00 a.m. domestic on May 12th.  At the arraignment, he was issued appearance tickets and served with an order of protection on behalf of the victim before being turned over to Catskill officers.

Responding to the call, officers located a female walking on Clermont Street.  The female said she had been in an altercation with a male on Partition Street without providing additional information before being transported to police headquarters for a follow-up. 

At 01:32 a.m. an officer on Partition Street came across a male, later identified as 31-year-old Matthew Kovacs, walking while bleeding profusely from a hand wound. The officer stopped Kovacs and summoned EMS to the scene to treat Kovacs, eventually transporting him to a Kingston hospital for further treatment. 

Saugerties Police Sergeant Jorge Castagnola went to the Kingston Hospital to complete his investigation into the injury that Kovacs had sustained to his hand and determined it was related to the earlier domestic incident from information provided by the victim at headquarters.

At police headquarters, the female told officers that she had been involved in a domestic incident with Kovacs and that he had held her against her will and attempted to drag her into an apartment on Partition Street when the two began to argue. The victim broke free and ran. 

While at the hospital for several hours Kovacs became agitated and began arguing with hospital staff. After arguing, he attempted to leave without treatment until stopped by Sergeant Castagnola, who advised him of the Greene County warrant.  The subject was told he was going to be transported to the Saugerties headquarters for processing.

Kovacs argued with the officer, saying he would not return to jail.  He then produced a small pocketknife from his pants, placed the knife to his own neck, and attempted to walk away from the sergeant, again saying he was not going back to jail.   Sergeant Castagnola produced his TASER while attempting to deescalate the situation.

Kovacsrefused to cooperate or relinquish the knife. After several minutes of negotiating Kovacs attempted to stab himself with the knife. Sergeant Castagnola used his TASER to incapacitate the subject.

With assistance from hospital security, Kovacs was taken into custody. 

Incidental to the incident, Kovacs became compliant, and medical aid was rendered with Kovac receiving 14 stitches to his hand. 

Five hours after arriving at the emergency room, Kovacs was transported to Saugerties Police HQ where he was processed on the Saugerties charges and turned over to Catskill officers. Kovacs will likely face charges from the Kingston Police Department for obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, and criminal possession of a weapon for his actions at the hospital. 

 




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