Skip navigation.
Home » aggravated assault

Corrections Officer Helps Lower Township Police Nab Knife Wielder

aggravated assault | 8 weeks 2 days ago | Comments 11

By Herald Staff

VILLAS — On June 29 at approximately 5:30 p.m., Lower Township Police Department received a call from the manager of the Villas WaWa convenience store reporting a subject inside the store screaming at customers.

According to a police report, while officers were en route to this call the manager called back and reported that the suspect was now threatening customers with a knife.

During that time, Officer Michael Marriner, a uniformed New Jersey State Corrections Officer, was inside the WaWa Store.

Marriner advised all customers to vacate the store and attempted to keep the subject, later identified as Robert B. Mitchell, 40, of Star Avenue in Villas, calm. However at one point, Mitchell lunged towards Marriner with the knife.

Lower Township Police Officers Kevin Lewis and Michael lames, entered the WaWa through a side door where they immediately ordered Mitchell at gun point, to drop the knife.

Mitchell was holding the knife in his pocket, but refused to remove his hand from his pocket. He eventually threw the knife on the ground, but refused to comply with the officer’s orders to place his hands on his head.

Lower Township Police Officer Eric Coombs entered the WaWa Store and was able to tackle Mitchell from behind.

The Lower Township Rescue Squad also responded to the WaWa Store for a female employee who was experiencing chest pains as a result of the incident.

Mitchell was transported to the Lower Township Police Department and charged with the following offenses aggravated assault of a uniformed officer, weapons offenses and terroristic threats.

Municipal Court Judge, David DeWeese, set bail at $100,000 cash. Lower Township Police then transported Mitchell to Cape May Regional Medical Center for a mental evaluation.

While at the hospital Mr. Mitchell became highly combative again and a Middle Township Police Officer responded to the hospital to assist the Lower Township Police Officer in guarding Mitchell.

Lower Township Police Chief Edward Donohue stated, “I credit Correction Officer Marriner’s actions in the store by evacuating customers and attempting to calm the suspect down and my officers for the quick response and rapid intervention and termination of this incident.”

This is not the first time that the Lower Township Police Department have dealt with Mitchell.

On March 27, 2007, Mitchell pointed a shotgun at Lower Township police officers who had responded to his residence for a “Check the Well Being” call. After a brief stand off, Mitchell was arrested at the scene of that incident.

Print | Email Updated 8 weeks 2 days ago
Post a comment on this article

Comments (11)

We welcome your thoughts, stories and information related to this article.

»

Sat, 07/05/2008 - 12:12pm

What is a corrections orc???????????? Learn how to use spell check, then come talk to me!

»

Sat, 07/05/2008 - 8:41am

For the person who said if the Corrections orc would have had a gun he would have be capped, if YOU were there you would have ran out like a big baby!! You are most likely a criminal yourself!!!

»

Wed, 07/02/2008 - 10:24am

Officer Marriner did a great job handling this situation in the way he was trained to do. Nobody was hurt and it could have been worst. Officer Marriner is only one of the many men & women who go above and beyond their call of duty. Whether they are a Corrections Officer or a Police Officer they risk their lives every day to protect their families and people in their communities. Keep up the great work Officer Marriner!!!!

»

Tue, 07/01/2008 - 5:33pm

This Corrections officer and far more in our community never get the full thanks they deserve. The are brave outstanding people! They keep these kinds of men off the street and inside the jails until our government lets them out. I will still to this day not understand why the police officers in this town get more respect then the correction officers that are endangered with these slum of society wackos day in and day out. How these police officers in Cape May County protect and serve is more then admirable but as far as I am concerned the corrections officers deal with the lowest of society and never get the glory and glamour. They don't get the flashing lights and fast cars but their life is constantly on the line. They don't even get a complimentary coffee from Wawa when the patrolmen do. This story goes to show what stand up people are doing to protect us behind the scenes. Way to go Correction Officer Marriner, Wawa was lucky to have you that day. I hope they know it!!!

Corrections Officers are some of "Cape May Counties" finest at risk everyday. A special thanks to all of you today!!!!

»

Tue, 07/01/2008 - 3:16pm

Here is where the blame should be directed. The Cape May County Prosecutors Office. The last incident with the shotgun they chose to give him probation. They are a joke over there and never consistent. With this so called probation he obviously didnt learn a lesson but that dosent surprise me.

»

Tue, 07/01/2008 - 11:05am

Actually, Management at this wawa were the ones that got everyone out of the store. The officer was definitely the hero here and the customer who stayed with him.Thankfully no one was injured.

»

Tue, 07/01/2008 - 7:20am

Wow...I'm surprised it wasn't his normal 25k bail! I guess when it involves a cop, they up the ante. A normal person and he only would have received a slap on the wrist or 25k bail. Also, Deja Vu at that very secure hospital. A name change can't change the fact that the ER and security is a joke. This is numerous times that they have had problems with people in police custody including a gun incident a couple of years ago. Their security couldn't fight off a Golden Girls reunion concert.

»

Tue, 07/01/2008 - 7:02am

this man is a product of the system. we should feel bad for him not the cops. this man probably has no home addictions and whatever else you can imagine. god bless his burdened soul

»

Mon, 06/30/2008 - 10:23pm

I think if the corrections officer was armed that guy would would have been capped!!!!!!!!!!!

»

Mon, 06/30/2008 - 7:04pm

So i guess he will be out in time to kill someone the next time huh? next time save us a fortune and don't drop the knife moron.

»

Mon, 06/30/2008 - 5:27pm

How many times will it take to say, those officers are lucky that nothing happened to them, before it does? I blame the courts and the judges, and should the police have to one day, shoot this guy in self defense, the blood will flow back to them for not seeing this guy as a threat to society the first time he pulled such a stunt. There should be no excuse for having to handle this guy for a third time, but we all somehow know different.

more spoutsMOST RECENT SPOUT OFFS

more homes TOP HOMES


more classifieds TOP CLASSIFIEDS