State trooper injured while making arrest in Earlton, state police say

A New York state trooper was treated for minor injuries at Albany Medical Center after being assaulted by a suspect during a traffic stop in the Greene County hamlet of Earlton, authorities said Wednesday.

At about 8:25 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, state police at Catskill responded to a 911 report of a man attempting to strike another person with a hammer on Harold C. Meyer Road in Earlton, police said in a press release.

A preliminary investigation determined that Frank Baglieri, 41, of Hudson, had allegedly tried to hit a co-worker with a hammer, police said. Baglieri left the area as law enforcement authorities arrived.

The responding trooper stopped a vehicle approximately half a mile away from Harold C. Meyer Road and identified the driver as Baglieri. While being interviewed by the trooper, Baglieri became combative and allegedly attempted to strangle the trooper and take his gun from its holster, police said.

The trooper was eventually able to restrain and arrest Baglieri with help from a passing motorist, police said, adding that a search of the vehicle turned up the claw hammer that had been identified as the weapon used in the previously attempted assault.

Baglieri was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, assault and robbery, all felonies, and with menacing, criminal obstruction of breathing, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration and driving while ability impaired by drugs, all misdemeanors.

He was arraigned in Cairo Town Court and sent to Greene County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail pending a Feb, 28 court appearance.