18-year-olds arrested for assaulting DYA officers during riot

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Danson Jona

Two 18-year-old men were arrested after assaulting officers with the Guam Department of Youth Affairs, according to a magistrate’s complaint filed in the Superior Court of Guam.

Guam Police Department officers responded to reports of a riot just before 8:30 p.m. on April 16 at DYA’s facility in Mangilao.

The incident involved minors, adult clients, and DYA officers.

Court documents state that an officer when assisting a client, the client became angry towards the officer, began to damage a window, and head butted the officer.

Four DYA officers tried to secure clients into their cells, including Danson Jona, 18.

Jona threw a small plastic trash can, pushed a table and punched a DYA officer.

Surveillance footage later reviewed by officers shows Timo Palik, 18, throwing two shoes at officers while he was secured in a cell.

Timo Palik

Jona admitted to throwing the plastic trash can to an officer, admitted to breaking pieces of a plastic pipe from a privacy screen and throwing it to DYA officers.

During an interview with officers, Palik’s mother was present. He told officers and his mother, “I only threw my shoes at the guard during a fight.”

Jona was charged with assault on a peace officer as a third degree felony, and criminal mischief as a misdemeanor.

Palik was charged with assault on a peace officer as a third degree felony.

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