A Lake Township man was charged by state police after allegedly kicking a trooper in the head and shoulder while he rode in the back seat of a cruiser, all the while heaping obscenities on the trooper.

Police charged James L. Roemer, 56, of 68 Parker Road, with aggravated assault, simple assault, drunken driving, resisting arrest, disorderly conducts and traffic violations, on Aug. 25 after someone following Roemer's vehicle called 911 because the vehicle was being driven erratically. Roemer pulled into a bar in Jackson Township where state police found him.

Roemer told police that he had been drinking "a very little bit," and, when asked to take field sobriety tests, began to swear and asked police why they were after him and that he didn't do anything wrong. Roemer was arrested after ignoring the trooper's requests and had to be forced into the back of the cruiser.

Roemer also spewed obscenities and threatened the trooper at a local hospital where he was taken for blood alcohol testing. Roemer refused the blood test and was placed back in the cruiser and continued using profanity and kicked the officer in the right shoulder and head.

The charges were held to court Nov. 12 by District Justice Lawrence T. Silvis. Roemer is out on $15,000 bond.