MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury police cited Michael Cordoba, 26, of Middlebury for domestic assault, assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and aggravated disorderly conduct, after an incident at a Case Street apartment on Feb. 9.
Police responded to the apartment after being told of a man and woman screaming in the apartment, with the man allegedly telling the woman he “was going to kill her,” according to authorities.
Officers Scott Fisher and Nathan Hayes were first to arrive on the scene, eventually assisted by Officer Kevin Emilio — who was off-duty at the time, according to police.
Here’s how Middlebury Police Chief Tom Hanley described the actions of his officers at the scene:
“The officers engaged an enraged, aggressive person (Cordoba) who had just committed a violent domestic assault,” Hanley said. “Cordoba told the approaching officers he had a gun in his waistband and made gestures as though he was about to produce it. Confronted as such, the officers could have used their firearms to protect themselves. Instead, with a variety of other, less lethal force options available, they used sound tactics and subdued the individual using Taser and pepper spray.
“It is a credit to the professionalism of these officers that they did not react to provocation, but instead maintained their composure, evaluated the situation, and in matter of split seconds made decisions that resulted in a successful capture as opposed to inflicting potential fatal wounds,” he added.
He additionally credited Emilio for his dedication to his fellow officers by committing himself to their assistance while off-duty.
In other action last week, Middlebury police:
•  Received a report about a drunken person who had fallen asleep in a hallway in a Court Street apartment building on Feb. 5.
•  Arranged for the towing of a disabled vehicle that has been creating a traffic hazard on Shard Villa Road on Feb. 5.
•  Were informed on Feb. 5 that a student had allegedly assaulted a teacher at the Champlain Valley Academy in Catamount Park. The case remains under investigation.
•  Responded to a report of a vehicle leaving the scene of an accident in Court Square on Feb. 5.
•  Served a no-trespass order on a man who had refused to leave Two Brothers Tavern on Feb. 6.
•  Helped Middlebury Regional EMS with a man who had suffered a medical episode in the Danyow Drive area on Feb. 7. Police said the man was taken to Porter Hospital.
•  Responded to a report of a missing vehicle in the Water Street area on Feb. 7. Police are determining whether the vehicle was misplaced or stolen.
•  Responded to a report of an unwanted, drunken man on North Pleasant Street on Feb. 8.
•  Responded to a report of a woman who might have overdosed on her medication in the Court Street area on Feb. 8.
•  Were informed on Feb. 8 about two Middlebury Union High School students who had missed “a number of days of school.”
•  Assisted Middlebury Regional EMS on Feb. 9 with a drunken woman on Court Street Extension who had been bleeding from an injury.
•  Were informed of the alleged theft of a purse from an unlocked apartment on Court Street on Feb. 9. Police continue to investigate the complaint.
•  Investigated a report of vandalism to a vehicle parked off Case Street on Feb. 9.
•  Received a report of a student damaging another student’s iPod at MUHS on Feb. 9.
•  Responded to a “missing person” report on Feb. 10. Officer Bill Austin and his K-9, Neila, found the woman safe and sound (see story in this edition).
•  Helped a motorist who had gone off Route 7 South during bad weather on Feb. 10.
•  Responded to a report of a fight in the Court Street area on Feb. 10. Police said they found no fight in progress, but warned the two arguing people to stop making noise.
•  Conducted winter parking enforcement on Main Street on Feb. 10.
•  Assisted some local parents with a child custody issue on Feb. 11.
•  Were asked to help in the search for a North Pleasant Street woman on Feb. 11. Police said the woman had returned to her home soon after the call came in.
•  Confiscated a small amount of marijuana and a pipe from a driver following a traffic stop on South Main Street on Feb. 11. Police said they served the culprit with court diversion paperwork.
•           Enforced the winter parking ban on Main Street on Feb. 11.