Yonkers police sergeant indicted for allegedly assaulting man during arrest

YONKERS, N.Y. - A Yonkers police sergeant has been indicted for allegedly assaulting a man during an arrest in March. 

The officer, identified as Sgt. Hector Cartagena, 55, was indicted for assault.

"Police officers are sworn to protect us and uphold the law. The Yonkers Police Department was proactive in identifying one of their officers as acting outside their training policies and promptly referred this matter to my office. The facts learned during the course of our investigation were presented to a grand jury who returned an indictment charging the defendant with offenses related to his alleged use of excessive force," District Attorney Rocah said.

At approximately 9:44 p.m. on March 14, while the suspect was getting arrested, Cartagena allegedly kicked the suspect four times and punched him 10 times in the face. Officials said this caused him to sustain a fractured orbital bone.

The body camera footage showed Cartagena kicking and punching the suspect while trying to restrain him after a high-speed chase involving a reported stolen car. 

Officials said this ended in a crash on Warburton and Glenwood Avenues in Yonkers.

The suspect is being prosecuted by the Westchester DA's Office on grand larceny, assault and reckless endangerment charges.