CLEVELAND — John Pugnea, the man who pleaded guilty to viciously assaulting a North Royalton police officer in August 2019, was sentenced to prison, according to the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
On Aug. 18, 2019, officer Alexandra Bell, then 28, responded to the area of Lynn Drive and York Road after someone reported that a man was driving erratically and had made threats against another driver.
When Bell arrived on scene, she questioned Pugnea, 58, who “refused multiple commands and began fighting with the officer.”
Pugnea pushed the officer to the ground and punched her in the face multiple times while yelling he was going to kill her, authorities said.
The officer was eventually able to free herself and another officer who responded to the scene took Pugnea into custody. Bell was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Pugnea had pleaded guilty to felonious assault on a peace officer and three counts of aggravated menacing. He was sentenced to a minimum of four years and a maximum of six years in prison, with five years of post release control, according to the court.
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