Gloucester Township Police Officer Hurt While Subduing Supsect Wearing a Cast

A officer was seriously injured while trying to subdue a violent felon who'd broken out of his plastic handcuffs while wearing an arm cast, authorities said. 

Just after 6 p.m. Friday, police responded to the area of  on the Black Horse Pike in Blackwood for a report of an altercation in the parking lot. Officers spoke with the alleged victim, and identified the suspect in the assault as Timothy S. Peters, whom they tried to arrest.  

But as he was being escorted into the rear of a marked patrol vehicle, Peters became combative. Officers had used disposable plastic restraints on Peters because he was wearing an arm cast, and he broke out of the restraints. Peters allegedly "began to violently flail his hands and arm with the cast at the officers," according to a release issued by police on Sunday. Peters then headbutted one officer and kicked another. Officers were quickly able to subdue Peters after the outburst. 

One of the officers was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for a fractured nose. Police did not release the officer's name. No other officers were injured in the altercation with Peters. 

Peters, 36, of the 1000 block of Lois Avenue in Camden, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a law-enforcement officer, resisting arrest and simple assault. 

He taken to the Camden County Jail, where he was held on $15,000 bail, with an option to post 10 percent. 

Peters has a prior criminal record. In January 2011, he was sentenced to three years in state prison on a charge of receiving stolen property in Gloucester County. He was released on May 11 of this year, according to the state Department of Corrections' website.