22-year-old charged with spitting on police officer

Published 9:52 am Thursday, October 8, 2009

An Austin man appeared in court Wednesday for allegedly spitting at an officer while being arrested Monday.

Jason Michael Sokolofsky, 22, faces one count each of fourth-degree assault and terroristic threats, both felonies. He also faces two lesser charges.

Sokolofsky is in custody on $50,000 bail, or $20,000 with conditions, and is scheduled for arraignment Oct. 15.

Email newsletter signup

According to a court complaint, Austin police went to Danny’s Bar in Austin on Monday to arrest Sokolofsky on a Freeborn County warrant.

Officers recognized him, but Sokolofsky insisted he was “Ryan Michael Henderson.”

He was handcuffed without protest, but while riding in the back of Lt. Rene Phan’s squad car, Sokolofsky began kicking the rear window bars.

When Sokolofsky didn’t stop, Phan pulled the squad car over and eventually used a chemical irritant spray on him. Sokolofsky continued yelling and kicking, and called Phan a “Jap,” according to the complaint.

Another officer assisted Phan at the Law Enforcement Center. When they opened the door to let Sokolofsky out, he spit at Phan and spit at the floor of the squad car while continuing to kick at the door.

Officers used another round of chemical spray to subdue Sokolofsky, and he was taken to jail.