Indictment includes assault and battery of Cape Charles police officers

By Linda Cicoira

A man accused of the malicious wounding and assault and battery of Cape Charles Police officers in May was indicted Monday in Northampton Circuit Court for the alleged crimes.

Thirty-four-year-old Frank Andrew Hughlett, of Nellie Stevens Court, was also suspected of assaulting his father during a domestic dispute on May 23, which was the reason officers were called to the scene.

“The accused assaulted responding officers by headbutting, biting, and punching, causing significant injury to one officer,” the court records stated.

Officers Thomas Lynch and William Garrett were subpoenaed to appear at a previous hearing. Garrett was listed as the arresting officer. It was unclear from the record which one had injuries significant enough to warrant the wounding charge.

In an unrelated case, 34-year-old Nakeya Peneice Church, who was listed as homeless, was indicted of assault and battery of Deputy J. Smith of the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office on June 19.

In yet another case, 44-year-old William Parke Custis, of Seaside Road in Exmore, was indicted on a count of assault and battery of Sgt. J. Gonzalez of the Exmore Police Department on May 3. He was also indicted on counts of possession of meth and possession of amphetamines on the same day.

Custis told a magistrate that he planned “to apologize to the officer.” He said he “was exposed to chemicals in his home and didn’t realize who he was at the time.”

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