Car without plates stopped; two men fight with police

The halting of a car with no license plates Thursday afternoon developed into a scuffle between city police officers and two Fort Drum men in the 100 block of Moulton Street, with one man being subdued by the use of pepper spray, according to Watertown police.

The driver, Dimetrius A. Dial, 20, was charged with harassment, resisting arrest, operating an uninspected, uninsured and unregistered automobile and having no license plates on the car. He was taken to the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building and released on $500 bail Thursday night to military police custody.

His passenger and the new owner of the auto, Fredrick G. Harrell, 21, is facing charges of disorderly conduct, harassment and resisting arrest. He was treated for the effects of pepper spray, police said. He was taken to the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building and held on $500 bail until a Friday arraignment.

A patrol stopped the car shortly before 1 p.m. and was told that Mr. Harrell had just bought it through private sale. When he was told the car would have to be towed, Mr. Harrell became angry, stood in the road and shouted profanities at officers, police said.

When he ignored warnings to quiet down, he was informed he was being arrested, police said. He pulled away from Officer Cristin N. Fuhrman, then pushed her in the chest, causing her to lose balance and fall backward, police said.

After Officer Patrick M. Lyon started to assist Officer Fuhrman, Mr. Dial grabbed Officer Lyon by the shoulders and pulled him away from Mr. Harrell, police said.