La Cascata Man Arrested on Assault Charges After Standoff

A La Cascata Townhouses man allegedly assaulted a woman and threatened to stab her with a knife inside his home Tuesday afternoon before being taken into custody by SWAT officers.

The victim summoned Gloucester Township Police to 233 La Cascata at 1:53 p.m. Tuesday after she was able to escape from the suspect's home, where she reportedly was struck with a hammer and threatened with a large knife.

Arriving patrol officers spotted the suspect inside his home, according to Deputy Police Chief David Harkins. The victim told police the suspect has a psychiatric problems and may have been under the influence of narcotics.

The patrol officers were unable to convince the suspect to exit his home.

"The officers reported that the suspect was acting abnormally and irrationally," Harkins said.

The Gloucester Township Police Special Response Team (SRT) responded to the scene.

The suspect, whom police identified as 48-year-old James N. DiMeo Jr., refused to exit his home after being contacted by SRT crisis negotiators. SRT members entered the home and fired pepperballs on DiMeo after he ignored their commands to show his hands, Harkins said.

DiMeo continued to struggle with officers after the pepperball launching system was deployed, but was taken into custody and treated by EMS on scene before being taken to an area hospital for evaluation.

No injuries to police officers were reported.

DiMeo has been charged with aggravated assault, possession of a deadly weapon, terroristic threats, obstruction of justice and resisting arrest. He was released on criminal complaints upon commitment to an unspecified medical facility.