Fairfield U Student Charged with Assaulting Officer

[Editor's note: Arrest information is supplied by the Fairfield Police Department. It does not indicate convictions.]

A Fairfield University student was charged with interfering with and assaulting a police officer early Saturday outside of the Seagrape Café on Reef Road, police said.

An officer was initially called to the bar to help escort another patron. While he was taking the man into his car, Brian Marques, 22, of West Hartford, allegedly began yelling at the officer, who told him to walk away.

But Marques continued to walk toward the officer and bumped him in the shoulder with his chest, department spokesperson Sgt. Sue Lussier said. He then swung his arm at the officer, knocking a radio microphone out of the officer's holster.

The officer than tried to take Marques into custody but the student struggled, injuring the officer's hand in the process, Lussier said. Marques reportedly fled and was picked up by another officer on patrol.

"We try to allow harmony in that neighborhood with the students, but assaulting, fighting with officers is simply unacceptable," Police Chief Gary MacNamara said. "We won't tolerate that."

Marques was taken to police headquarters, charged, and released on a $5,000 bond, Lussier said. He is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 22.