Hackensack police say a 29-year-old man was discovered naked and covered in feces and urine inside the stairwell of a luxury apartment building early Tuesday morning, then struck two officers before trying to flee when an ambulance was called to evaluate him. Demond A. Clacken, of Hackensack, now faces felony charges including two counts of third-degree aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.
According to Daily Voice, officers responded to the building at 2:34 a.m. on Aug. 18 and found Clacken in the stairwell in that condition. Police said he did not live at the building, per the police report cited by the outlet. Officers called an ambulance to have him medically evaluated, and as they attempted to get him assistance, Clacken allegedly struck officers in the face with a backpack and his arm before trying to run.
Police arrested Clacken after a struggle. He also gave officers fake names, after which he began acting erratically, according to the report, which led to a hindering charge, while the paraphernalia charge was also additional to the assault counts.
Charges Stack Up Under New Jersey Law
Police charged Clacken with two counts of third-degree aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, fourth-degree hindering apprehension by giving false information, and possession of drug paraphernalia after officers found four crack pipes on him. Under New Jersey statute N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b)(5), assaulting a member of a protected class, including a police officer, can result in second- or third-degree aggravated assault regardless of whether bodily injury occurs, carrying three to five years in state prison and fines up to $15,000 per count.
The hindering apprehension charge stems from Clacken allegedly giving officers false names during the investigation. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3, providing false information to hinder one's own apprehension is a fourth-degree crime when linked to third-degree offenses, punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine. Separately, possession of drug paraphernalia such as crack pipes is classified under N.J.S.A. 2C:36-2 as a disorderly persons offense, carrying a maximum penalty of six months in county jail and a $1,000 fine.
Clacken was taken to an area hospital for evaluation. He was later remanded on a complaint warrant to Bergen County Jail, the facility at 160 South River Street in Hackensack that serves as the county's central pre-trial detention center with more than 280 corrections officers and 1,150 beds, per the Bergen County Sheriff's Office.
A Missing Persons Bulletin From Months Earlier
Hackensack police had reported Clacken missing in June, and a prior police bulletin listed him as an “endangered missing person” due to medical conditions after he went missing on May 10. That bulletin, reported by Patch, noted that Clacken was known to frequent nearby Bergen and Hudson County municipalities as well as the Bronx. The prior report offers context for the erratic behavior, lack of clothing, and medical evaluation that marked Tuesday's encounter, even as police pursue the assault and paraphernalia charges.
The confrontation unfolded inside a Hackensack apartment building. The city has been carrying out a redevelopment plan adding roughly 4,000 residential units and new retail space along the Main Street corridor, according to the City of Hackensack.
Daily Voice also reported on a separate Hackensack police incident in May, according to Daily Voice.
What Happens Next
It remains unclear whether Clacken has an attorney or how he will plead to the charges.
