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John K. Sassaman, 26, accused of kicking a police officer and attempting to urinate on police while in lockup.

(Mahwah Police Department)

MAHWAH — A 26-year-old man kicked an officer, urinated in his jail cell, and then attempted to urinate on police after he was arrested on charges that he drunkenly drove into a tree and fled the scene, according to Mahwah Police Chief James Batelli.

John K. Sassaman on Tuesday was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, DWI, driving with a suspended license, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident after police say he crashed into a tree on Halstead Way and sped away to the nearby home of his girlfriend, 23-year-old Andrea D'Anton.

According to Batelli, officers spotted the green Mercury with front-end damage in D'Anton's Dodge Court driveway. D'Anton, the vehicle's owner, first claimed she lost control of the car near her driveway, but later admitted that Sassaman was behind the wheel and crashed into a tree a few blocks away, Batelli said. Sassaman, a local supermarket employee, was arrested on drunk driving charges after failing a field sobriety test, police said.

Sassaman was scheduled to be transferred to Bergen County jail to be extradicted to Bucks County, Pa. –– where he has an outstanding fugitive warrant –– when he lost his cool, Batelli said Wednesday.

"He became extremely combative and argumentative and began arguing with the officers about being transported to the County Jail," the police chief said. "During the altercation, he kicked Officer Jonathan Lange and was subsequently subdued by Sergeant Michael Blondin and Officer Matthew Lombardo. Once he was placed back in a jail cell, he urinated on the floor in the cell and attempted to urinate on the officers all the while spitting in the general direction of the officers."

D'Andrea was charged with providing false information to police and allowing suspended driver to operate a motor vehicle. Sassaman remains lodged in Bergen County Jail, records show.