STONE HARBOR – Special Law Enforcement Officer (SLEO) Class II Zoltan Garay was conducting a foot patrol on the 300 block of 96th Street when he observed a subject, now identified as Ryan Nesbitt, 24, of Dennisville, climb a 6-foot wooden privacy fence to a construction site Sept. 5 at 12:01 a.m. Nesbitt was instructed to exit the construction site and he returned to the 300 block of 96th Street. A name check revealed Nesbitt had an outstanding arrest warrant from Avalon Municipal Court for a local ordinance trespassing violation with bail set at $544.
SLEO II Garay was joined by Officer Matthew Minutolo and as they attempted to place him under arrest for the warrant, Nesbitt backed away from the officers and immediately began to actively resist as they attempted to place him in handcuffs, causing minor scrapes and scratches to the legs and arms of both officers.
During his transport to the Stone Harbor Police Department, Nesbitt repeatedly spit in the police car. At the station, the Stone Harbor Rescue Squad treated both officers for minor injuries. Nesbitt continued to spit and urinated on the floor of the holding cell and cell block area. He threatened to kill officers and burn the station down upon release.
Stone Harbor Municipal Court Judge George Neidig, Jr. was contacted and authorized a warrant be issued for Nesbitt on the third degree crimes of aggravated assault on law enforcement, terroristic threats, and resisting arrest, with bail set at $25,000, no 10 percent option. He was also charged with obstruction, criminal mishchief, and defiant trespass.
Unable to post bail, Nesbitt was transported to the Cape May County Correctional Center. This matter is pending review by the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
