Couple arrested after attacking Ludlow police officers

Ludwig-Two Shutesbury residents are accused of attacking a pair of police officers who responded to a complaint of a disturbance on the side of the road Monday night.

Donald F. Roberts Jr., 33, was charged with two counts of assault and battery of a police officer, attempting to disarm a police officer, malicious damage of a cruiser over $1,200, disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct, Police Lt. Daniel Valadas said.

Katharine V. Smola, 25, of was charged with two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, he said.

Police initially received several calls at about 9 p.m. from people reporting a couple having a loud argument outside a car parked on the side of Center Street, near the intersection of Bondsville Road. Officer Ryan Churchill responded and approached the couple to talk to them

The couple together advanced on him and starting punching and fighting with him, Valadas said.

"It was unexplainable," Valadas said, adding Churchill simply asked them what was happening when they attacked

While Churchill tried to gain control, Officer Ryan Auclair arrived. During the fight, he attempted to stop the couple using his stun gun, but they were too close to Churchill. After entering the fray, he was finally able to handcuff Smola, Valadas said.

Meanwhile Roberts was able to tackle Churchill and was punching him when he was on the ground. Auclair attempted to help him but he was still trying to control Smola, Valadas said.

At that time, a 52-year-old off-duty Connecticut Department of Corrections officer, who lives in Ludlow, was driving by and saw the fight. He stopped, identified himself and then joined the fight and helped the officers handcuff Roberts.

"My officers said, 'thank God this man was right there,'" Valadas said.

Even after they got control, the couple continued to yell and spit. When the officers pushed Roberts up against the cruiser, he kicked it multiple times denting the side, Valadas said. "They were very hostile, very belligerent, very angry," he said.

Churchill was later treated at the hospital for minor injuries and mostly for exposure to blood that happened during the fight. Roberts declined to go to the hospital and was treated at the station by Ludlow Fire Department paramedics for a cut on his head.

Auclair was uninjured and he and Churchill remained on duty, Valadas said. Bail was set at $2,500 for Smola and Roberts and both were transferred to Hampden County Department of Corrections jails to be held overnight, Valadas said.

After arraignments in Palmer District Court on Tuesday, they were released on bail, he said.