A Hillsborough Township father and daughter were found guilty of aggravated assault on police on Dec. 19, 2016, following a jury trial in Somerset County Superior Court.
SOMERVILLE - A Hillsborough Township father and daughter were found guilty of aggravated assault on police Monday afternoon following a jury trial in Somerset County Superior Court.
George Teeple, 72, and his daughter Danielle Teeple, 35, were found guilty on all but one count in the nine-count indictment against the pair, stemming from an altercation with township police on May 14, 2012, in front of the family's Mountain View Road residence.
Danielle Teeple was found guilty of the most serious charge of the indictment, second-degree attempted escape using force against a person of another (police), and is facing a mandatory state prison sentence of three to 10 years.
Kevin Teeple, George's son and Danielle's brother, is facing a separate trial for his involvement in the altercation that began with a traffic stop.
Reed set March 3 as the sentencing date.
George and Danielle Teeple sat stoically as the jury read the verdict in the courtroom.
The three-week trial before state Superior Court Judge Robert B. Reed of the Hillsborough family members ended on Thursday, and the jury began deliberations later that day. Uniformed township police officers attended the trial daily.
The jury deliberated Friday and reached a verdict Monday afternoon.
Both George and Danielle Teeple were found guilty of third-degree aggravated assault of a police officer and third-degree resisting arrest. George Teeple was also found guilty of third-degree terrorist threats. He's not facing any mandatory jail time because he has no prior convictions.
In addition to the attempted escape, aggravated assault and resisting arrest charges, Danielle Teeple was also found guilty of fourth-degree criminal mischievous (breaking a car window) and fourth-degree spitting at police. She was found not guilty of attempting to disarm an officer.
During the assault, one officer, Brian McCarron, sustained career-ending injuries which required surgery. Another officer, Jason Beverett, was also injured and out of work for approximately nine months.
Reed allowed both defendants to remain free on bail pending a bail tracking hearing Tuesday.
"The criminal conduct committed by these defendants against uniformed law enforcement warrants the most severe sentence available," said Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson.
"I m grateful that the jury convicted the defendants of the crimes they committed against two great officers. The conviction sends the message that resisting arrest and assaulting police officers will not be tolerated."
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Assistant prosecutor Matthew Murphy prosecuted the case for the state.
Borough-based attorney James Wronko represented Danielle Teeple, and Michael J. Rogers, also based in the borough, represented George Teeple.
"We're extremely disappointed in the verdict and the fact that the jury found my client guilty of attempted escape, a charge that has the presumption of mandatory imprisonment," said Wronko, who said he is hopeful the judge will allow Danielle to spend Christmas with her family.
Initially, Kevin Teeple, 40, George Teeple's son and Danielle's brother, was set to go to trial on three counts of the indictment. But during jury selection on June 16, 2015, he suffered a major seizure in the courtroom in front of the jury and was severed from the case in order for it to move forward.
A trial date for Kevin Teeple has not yet been scheduled, said Rogers.
According to the prosecution, a scuffle began after McCarron pulled over a pickup truck driven by Kevin Teeple shortly before 11 a.m. near his home. George Teeple was a passenger at the time.
Kevin Teeple allegedly got out of the truck and walked back home, but George Teeple decided to confront the officer, authorities said. McCarron placed George Teeple under arrest, but he allegedly tried to fight back, authorities said.
According to authorities, Kevin Teeple and Danielle Teeple then left their house to fight off Beverett, who had been called to aid McCarron.
Danielle Teeple allegedly punched the patrolman in the face, and both she and Kevin Teeple are accused of striking him with their fists, authorities said.
Officer Christopher Engelhardt and his K-9 responded to the scene and the trio were eventually subdued by police and placed under arrest, authorities said.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.