Township man charged with threatening police

EAST BRUNSWICK — A township man was jailed Sunday after he allegedly threatened to harm police officers who were called to his home. The man later kicked out the windows of two police cars.

Police went to the Civic Center Drive home of Kenneth M. Rittman, 41, after receiving a 911 call from the residence shortly after 9 p.m. When officers arrived, Rittman told them he wanted to leave his girlfriend’s home with his 13-year-old son, police said.

Rittman, who police said was intoxicated, requested a ride to his sister’s home, but officers said they could instead call him a taxi. Rittman declined, saying his mother would pick him up.

Moments after the officers left the scene, Rittman again called the police and stated, “There’s gonna be a fight; let’s get it on,” according to the police report.

Officers arrived and found Rittman in the apartment complex parking lot holding a bottle of vodka in one hand and his son in the other. Police said Rittman was using his son as a shield and “menaced” the officers with the vodka bottle. The two officers at the time were not certain if the bottle was made of glass, though it turned out to be plastic, according East Brunswick Police Lt. Robert Strempek, who said Rittman was holding the bottle’s neck in a threatening manner.

When an officer pulled the son away from Rittman, he allegedly lunged at the officer, who then hit him with a burst of pepper spray.

After a struggle, Rittman was taken into custody and placed into a patrol car. Rittman then kicked out a rear window of the car, police said, and was taken out of the car and placed into a second vehicle for his own safety.

Police said he then kicked out both of the rear seat windows in that patrol vehicle.

Rittman was transported to headquarters and charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, terroristic threats and two counts of criminal mischief.

After complaining of chest pains, he was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where he was treated before being transported to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, North Brunswick. He was held in lieu of $25,000 bail.

Police said the terroristic threats charge was the result of Rittman repeatedly threatening to harm two officers.

One police officer was injured by flying glass, and was treated at the scene by the East Brunswick Rescue Squad. No further medical treatment was necessary.

The child was turned over to his grandmother.