N.J. father, daughter sentenced in aggravated assault on cops

Daughter sentenced to six years in state prison for second-degree offense.

SOMERVILLE -- A Hillsborough Township father and daughter found guilty of aggravated assault on police during a 2012 motor vehicle stop were sentenced Monday in Somerset County Superior Court.

George Teeple, 72, was sentenced to 364 days in county jail and three years probation, while Danielle Teeple, 35, was given a six-year term in state prison with 14 months served without parole eligibility.

Both were handcuffed and taken into custody.

During the altercation, Officer Brian McCarron, a 16-year veteran, suffered a career-ending spinal injury that required surgery. Jason Beverett, a 19-year veteran, sustained back, spinal and foot injuries that kept him out of work for approximately nine months.

George and Danielle Teeple were found guilty in December on all but one count in a nine-count indictment stemming from an altercation with township police on May 14, 2012 in front of the family's Mountain View Road residence.

Danielle Teeple was convicted of second-degree attempted escape using force against a person of another (police). After being arrested, she attempted to escape from a police car by kicking out the back window. She also struck an officer and spit in his face.

She was also sentenced to four years for third-degree aggravated assault of a police officer, four years for third-degree resisting arrest, one year for criminal mischief and one year for spitting on an officer. Those sentences will run concurrent with the second-degree charge.

George Teeple was convicted of third-degree aggravated assault, third-degree resisting arrest and third-degree terrorist threats. He wasn't facing any mandatory jail time because he had no prior convictions and his offenses were third degree.

But Somerset County Superior Court Judge Robert B. Reed felt George Teeple's actions were so egregious he deserved jail time.

Reed said George Teeple showed utter disrespect and contempt for the police and he's at-risk to act in a similar fashion if stopped by police again.

Danielle Teeple issued an emotional apology to both officers but George Teeple declined to comment when the judge asked him if he wanted to speak.

Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Murphy was seeking a sentence of three to five years for George Teeple, and seven years for Danielle Teeple.

Father, daughter guilty of assaulting cops

Kevin Teeple, George's son and Danielle's brother, is facing a separate trial for his involvement in the altercation.

A trial date for Kevin Teeple, 40, has not yet been scheduled.

"I trust the court acted in a way that was consistent with the law," said Hillsborough police chief Darren Powell. "I think it's important for people to know that when you're stopped by a police officer, you have to act in a certain way because a simple motor vehicle stop can escalate into something much more serious.

"We had an officer lose his career and it could've easily gone the other way with someone else suffering serious injuries."

Borough-based attorney James Wronko represented Danielle Teeple, and Michael J. Rogers, also based in the borough, represented George Teeple.

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.

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 Beverett 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.