Police: Lynn trio assaulted couple then tried to storm officers

LYNN – A judge ordered bails from $1,500 to $10,000 cash for three city residents who allegedly attacked a couple at a downtown gas station then got ready to bull-rush officers trying to investigate the incident.”With their heads down, eyes locked forward, fists clenched tight and their comments, ?(expletive) the police, don’t stop. Push those (expletive) out of the way,’ all suggested that they were about to fight instead of flee,” Lynn Police Officer Michael Crosby wrote in a report.Tahmeika Johnson, 20, and Julio Jimenez, 23, of 32 Chestnut St. #5, and George Tate, 20, of 224 Washington St., were arrested and each charged with armed assault to rob, two counts; assault and battery with a dangerous weapon; and resisting arrest; at 1:50 a.m. Tuesday.Jimenez was additionally charged with violation of a city knife ordinance.All three pleaded not guilty to the charges at their arraignment Tuesday in Lynn District Court.Police reported responding to the Hess Station on Liberty Street at approximately 1 a.m. Tuesday and found the two alleged victims standing next to a taxi. The alleged victims told police they were going to get snacks at the gas station when four black men and a black woman approached and asked for money.The alleged victims replied they had no cash because they were paying with an ATM card.”They were attacked without any warning whatsoever,” Essex Assistant District Attorney Brendan Kelley said in court Tuesday. He said the male victim was knocked to the ground and kicked several times, while the woman was punched in the face and back of her head.The taxi driver told police he saw the incident and corroborated the alleged victims’ story, according to police.Other officers reported seeing the defendants on Market Street and tried to approach, at which point the defendants allegedly became combative. Police also reported finding a knife on Jimenez.Police said the two alleged victims positively identified the suspects. The alleged victims had minor bruises and refused medical attention, police reported.Kelley requested Jimenez be held on $15,000 cash bail, citing a “pattern of violations” of the law. Kelley requested $10,000 cash bail for Tate, saying the defendant was recently put on probation, and the prosecutor requested $7,500 cash bail for Johnson, citing the seriousness of the charges but acknowledging Johnson had no criminal record.A probation officer requested Tate be held for a probation-violation hearing, telling the court that Tate was put on probation June 17 for an assault and battery charge and, in addition to accruing new charges, had already not yet reported to probation as required.Court-appointed defense attorneys, however, questioned why the alleged victims reported they were attacked by five people, but police found, arrested and charged three people. “The only information they have is four black males and a black female, there is no height description, no weight description, no age given…” attorney Deborah McWade told the court. “They don’t approach four black males and a black female, they approach two black males and a black female.”Defense attorneys also noted that each defendant received injuries in the encounter with police.”All he knows is he was thrown to the ground and hit his head,” attorney Michael Dunphy said in regards to his client, Tate.Judge Cathleen Campbell ordered Johnson held on $1,500 cash bail and Jimenez held on $10,00 cash bail. She ordered Tate held without bail pending a probation violation hearing and set $5,000 cash bail for the new charges.