Utica Man Returns to Domestic Scene Armed with Metal Pipe, Spits on Officers After Arrest

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AUGUST 4, 2025

UTICA, NY — On the night of August 2nd, 2025, Utica Police responded to a tense domestic disturbance call on the 100 block of Hawthorne Avenue. When officers arrived around 9:00 p.m., they learned that the suspect, a male, had already fled the scene after allegedly assaulting a woman by repeatedly striking her in the face and getting into physical altercations with multiple individuals inside the home.

While officers were still interviewing witnesses and gathering details, the situation escalated dramatically.

The suspect, later identified as 42-year-old Lyndell Ladson of Utica, returned to the residence armed with a metal pipe. According to police, he approached officers in a threatening manner and made statements indicating he intended to harm them.

Officers quickly drew their firearms and Tasers, issuing multiple commands for Ladson to drop the weapon.

As he was being escorted to a patrol car, Ladson spit directly into the faces of two officers, covering them with a mix of blood and saliva.

He was transported to the Utica Police Department, where he was formally charged following the investigation.

Ladson now faces multiple charges, including:

▪︎ Assault in the third degree

▪︎ Menacing in the second degree

▪︎ Criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree (due to a prior conviction)

▪︎ Four counts of harassment