Father and Son Who Allegedly Hit Jogger Charged with Assaulting Police

A Westwood father and son, who are still awaiting trial for allegedly , were arrested again Sunday night after they fought police and sent one officer to the hospital, according to Police Chief Frank Regino.

Police received a call at about 10:15 p.m. Sunday that there was a dispute going on in a Fourth Avenue home. When a police officer arrived, 45-year-old Fred Verastegui and his son, 19-year-old Nicholas Verastegui, were "highly agitated," Regino said.

More police officers arrived and they attempted to separate the family members so they could determine what had happened, but the two men "became completely uncooperative and had to be restrained," Regino said.

There was a large party going on at a nearby home, so police were not sure who else may have been involved in the dispute. They called for back-up from surrounding towns.

Meanwhile, police ended up in "a big struggle with the father and son," which included Nicholas Verastegui kicking one officer in the neck, according to Regino. After the struggle, police handcuffed the two men. Both men and the injured officer were treated and released from area hospitals.

Both men were charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest. Nicholas Verastegui was released on $50,000 bail with a 10 percent option and Fred Verastegui was released on $25,000 bail with a 10 percent option.

The men were also charged in February for allegedly driving onto a sidewalk to hit a jogger with a car. According to police, Nicholas Verastegui had been in an argument with the jogger before he returned with his father and ran the man down, who was hospitalized with a broken collar bone. They , police said.

There has not yet been a trial for the hit-and-run incident and the men were apparently still out on bail, Regino said.

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