Lansford police officer assaulted

A homeless man who assaulted and injured a Lansford police officer remains in the Carbon County Correctional Facility, Nesquehoning, after being charged by borough police following an incident at 8:30 p.m. Friday in the area of Rite Aid.

Herman Thomas, 49, was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Casimir Kosciolek on charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, resisting arrest and providing false information to law enforcement officers.

Bail was set at $100,000 straight cash.

During the incident, officer Anthony Campanell was injured. He was taken to St. Luke’s Miners Campus for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery from the injuries, police said.

Police said Thomas was evaluated at the emergency room of the hospital, after which he was charged.

Police said Campanell was initially called to investigate an incident where two men attempted to open and enter a vehicle at Bertsch and Cortright streets. A man told them his daughter was an occupant of the vehicle at the time.

After obtaining descriptions of the two men, Campanell located Herman and David Penberth, who is known to police, inside Rite Aid.

Upon confronting them, police said, Thomas told the officer his name was James Taylor. When the officer learned there was no record of a James Taylor, Thomas provided his proper name.

Police said Campanell tried to grab Thomas’ arm and the man pulled away and fought with the officer, punching him in the face, head and neck several times.

Thomas refused to follow verbal commands to stop and the use of a stun gun was only partially effective, police said. The scuffle then moved across the parking lot from the entrance of the store, about 20 yards away.

Police said Thomas was finally subdued with the assistance of bystanders.