ROBBINSVILLE – Investigators trying to determine why Sgt. Mark Lee attacked a couple in wheelchairs and their 4-year-old son Monday night believe he was not under the influence of illicit drugs or alcohol, authorities said yesterday.
Lee, 44, of Milltown, remained under care at Capital Health Regional Medical Center last night, after being subdued and arrested by fellow Robbinsville officers during a rampage at the Project Freedom home for the disabled while he was on-duty. A psychiatric evaluation of Lee has been ordered by a judge, and medical screenings have been performed.
“Preliminary indications are alcohol and illegal drugs did not play a role in this unfortunate episode,” Angelo Onofri, Mercer County first assistant prosecutor, said last night.
Lee allegedly broke into the family’s apartment at Project Freedom and assaulted the boy and his mother, who at one point was knocked out of her wheelchair. Lee also struggled with the family’s home health aide as the father, also in a wheelchair, was in the living room and unable to help, authorities said.
Fellow officers sent to Project Freedom on a 911 call for a woman being choked found Lee partially clothed on the couch. They arrested him after a struggle, which flared up again on the way to police headquarters when Lee broke out a window of a patrol car with his feet, fled, and had to be recaptured.
Little information is available about what Lee was doing in the minutes before the attack, but three Bibles were found on the seat of his patrol car parked outside Project Freedom, Onofri confirmed.
Yesterday, the prosecutor’s office executed search warrants on Lee’s personal car, his locker inside police headquarters, and a briefcase. Witnesses including members of the police department are being interviewed.
The prosecutor’s office is handling the investigation into why Lee reacted so violently and uncharacteristically. “The Robbinsville Police Department is fully cooperating with the investigation,” Onofri said.
“Sgt. Lee’s a very, very well-liked guy, and we’ve never had any issues with him,” Mayor Dave Fried said yesterday.
There are no sustained Internal Affairs complaints in Lee’s history, Fried said. Fried saw Lee a couple months ago and the officer appeared “fine,” Fried said.
Members of the family Lee had attacked are out of the hospital but face a long mental and emotional recovery, the father of the female victim said yesterday.
“They’re not so good; they’re having dreams about it,” he said.
His daughter was born with cerebral palsy, and was able to walk until five years ago, when she fell and broke both hips. She’s been in a wheelchair ever since.
Though Lee was charged with 12 separate offenses including official misconduct, endangering the welfare of a child, and aggravated assault, the father thinks attempted murder charges are warranted.
“He tried to kill her,” the man said.
The father’s concern for his family is magnified by the love he has for his grandson.
“That’s my life and joy,” the man said. “That’s what makes me so upset.”
Contact Alex Zdan at azdan@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5705
Previous Coverage:
• Robbinsville police officer accused of assaulting woman in wheelchair, 4-year-old son
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