Cops: Mass. Man In Stamford Tries To Steal Van, Attacks EMT & Police

An "extremely large" Massachusetts man allegedly caught in the act of attempting to steal a van has had a litany of charges added to his final bill after he also allegedly punched medical personnel and attacked a police officer in his cell.

According to Stamford police, officers dispatched to the 400 block of Fairfield Avenue Monday night found several men holding closed the door to a van, with a very large man stuck inside the vehicle.

Police identified the suspect as Erick Jones, 42, of Orange Street in Chelsea, Mass., and said the owner of the vehicle worked nearby and left the car unlocked with the keys in the ignition.

When the owner spotted Jones allegedly trying to take the van, he stopped him first by reaching through the window and forcing the gear shifter back into "Park" and then removing the keys from the ignition, police said. The two men struggled throughout the ordeal, according to police, and the vehicle's owner suffered a cut to his arm during the fight. A group of the victim's employees then helped keep Jones sealed in the van until police arrived.

Police said Jones informed them he "needed to get home" to see his mother back in Boston, but complied with officers instructions to exit the car and was handcuffed without incident, police said.

Since Jones was so large he could not fit into the rear of a police car, he was transported to the Stamford Police Station via a prisoner transport van and held on a $10,000 bond.

According to police, that's when Jones stopped cooperating.

He allegedly told officers his blood sugar was dropping and he needed medical attention. Medical personnel visited Jones in his cell and took blood samples, which police said indicated his blood sugar levels were fine. When the medical personnel informed Jones of this, he allegedly struck one of them in the face.

The officers began struggling with Jones to keep him in his cell, police said, and he was ultimately tazered and forced back into the cell.

Police said Tuesday morning, they attempted to wake Jones to bring him to court and he volleyed explicit words at police. Authorities said they were able to get leg shackles on the man, but when they attempted to cuff him, he grabbed an officer by the shirt, tearing it, and pulled the officer into the cell.

Police said another struggle ensued and the prisoner was again tazered. Jones was transported to Stamford Hospital for evaluation, where he is currently under watch by two officers and a sergeant at all times.

Police said in addition to the original charges Jones faced of third-degree robbery, third-degree burglary, third-degree larceny, attempt to commit a crime and assault on a medic, he will face additional charges of interfering with an officer/resisting and criminal mischief, as well as additional bond levies for the latter incidents.