AN ENGLEWOOD MAN IS BEHIND BARS AFTER ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTING THREE SARASOTA SHERIFF’S OFFICIALS AND DAMAGING A CRUISER. 30 YEAR OLD JAMES KURKOWSKI, JR. WAS OBSERVED BY A DEPUTY SITTING IN HIS CAR WITH HIS ARMS AND HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE ENGINE RUNNING AT INDIANA AVENUE AND CARROLL CIRCLE JUST AFTER 4:30AM WEDNESDAY. THE DEPUTY PASSED THE CAR ONCE, THEN HEADED BACK AND FOUND A WOMAN LEAVING THE CAR WITH REDNESS AND LACERATIONS ON THE SIDE OF HER FACE. THE DEPUTY APPROACHED KURKOWSKI TO ASK QUESTIONS, BUT HE BECAME COMBATIVE AND THREATENED HIM. THE WOMAN WAS APPROACHED BY THE DEPUTY AND TOLD HIM SHE WAS ASSAULTED BY ANOTHER WOMAN. THE DEPUTY THEN WENT BACK TO KURKOWSKI AND ASKED FOR ID, WHICH HE REFUSED TO SHOW, INSTEAD CLINCHING HIS FISTS AS IF READY FOR A FIGHT. THE DEPUTY REACHED FOR HIS TASER AND KURKOWSKI BACKED OFF. THE DEPUTY CALLED FOR BACK-UP, BUT BEFORE THEY ARRIVED KURKOWSKI AGAIN APPROACHED WITH FISTS UP. THE DEPUTY TALKED KURKOWSKI OUT OF BRAWLING, AND HE WAS CUFFED ONCE BACK-UP OFFICERS ARRIVED. KURKOWSKI THEN BECAME VIOLENT, SPITTING IN THE FACE OF A SERGENT AND ANOTHER DEPUTY AS WELL AS DAMAGING THE CRUISER BY TRYING TO KICK OUT THE WINDOW. HE WAS CHARGED WITH 2 COUNTS OF BATTERY ON A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, ASSAULT OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND CRIMINAL MISCHIEF. HE IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND IN THE SARASOTA COUNTY JAIL.
