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A 68-year-old parking enforcement officer with the city of Clifton had written a summons for a vehicle illegally parked on Madison Avenue when he was assaulted by the owner, police said.
An irate Dimitrios K. Rezitis, 37, of Montague, "stepped on the officer's shoes, placed him in a bear hug, and threatened to kill the officer and his family," Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said.
"The suspect then ripped the ticket book from the officer and removed all four copies of the summons in question, before driving off," the lieutenant said.
The officer was shaken up but not injured, Bracken noted.
Detectives, meanwhile, obtained an arrest warrant for Rezitis, who surrendered later Tuesday, April 25, he said.
Rezitis was charged with simple assault, making terroristic threats, destruction of evidence, obstructing justice and hindering apprehension.
He was sent to the Bergen County Jail only to have a judge order his release the following day, with conditions, under New Jersey's bail reform law.
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