On Saturday night, New Road resident and entrepreneur John Orosco was selling juice near a police checkpoint on New Road when police were responding to the report of a fight. A constable approached Orosco who was standing in the Alley and informed him that he was being detained for disorderly conduct. But when police went to search him, he allegedly pushed the constable in the chest. That constable claims that Orosco approached him in an aggressive manner, and that's when he withdrew his police weapon and fired a single shot, hitting him in the upper right side of his back.
Orosco appeared in court with the injury yesterday where he pleaded guilty to the charge of aggravated assault upon PC Bol.
And while he took the plea, in an interview he explained that he only did so because he did not have legal representation in court and did not want to waste the court's time, despite his claims that he did not assault the police officer.
John Orosco, Charged for Assaulting a Police Officer
"I believe that you should not stand without a lawyer present and I dont believe in speaking without a lawyer so I just pleaded guilty so not to waste the judge time."
Reporter
"So tell me what happened and why you got shot and why you got charged?"
John Orosco, Charged for Assaulting a Police Officer
"Well I got charged because they explained to me that I aggravated assault upon a police officer, which I did not I got abused by a police officer."
Reporter
"How did this whole thing start how did you end up getting charged? what did the police say you do?"
John Orosco, Charged for Assaulting a Police Officer
"I not even I cannot explain if I don't know."
Reporter
"So where were you when all this happened?"
John Orosco, Charged for Assaulting a Police Officer
"I was at home."
Reporter
"So you were home? How did the police and you get into anything?"
John Orosco, Charged for Assaulting a Police Officer
"Well I explained to the police officer that to just show me his hand before he touches any consent because before they charge you they have to show you their hand just that I explained and for that I acquired a bullet for."
Reporter
"The guy told you the police officer said he would search you?"
John Orosco, Charged for Assaulting a Police Officer
"Well he told me to put up my hands so that was what he said. When they tell you to put up your hands it's to search he wants to search."
Reporter
"Did he get to search you?"
John Orosco, Charged for Assaulting a Police Officer
"Yes."
Reporter
"Did he find anything?"
John Orosco, Charged for Assaulting a Police Officer
"No."
Reporter
"But he says you assaulted him."
John Orosco, Charged for Assaulting a Police Officer
"Yes but I don't know how."
For his guilty plea Orosco was assessed a $400 fine of which he was given until September 30, 2025 to pay, in default, 4 months imprisonment.
