Advocate accused of assault on worker

Maricopa Police Department arrested a well-known mental health advocate and accused him of punching a construction worker in the face and trying to hit him with a traffic sign Monday morning. 

Police arrested 44-year-old Jelani C. Elliott after he admitted to the assault, according to the probable-cause statement obtained by InMaricopa. 

Cops responded to North Porter and West Iron Point Roads around 10 a.m. and found a construction worker, Aaron Williams, holding a blood-soaked towel with a “severe” injury to his nose. 

Workers told officers they were directing traffic at a nearby construction site. 

Williams said he was holding a stop sign, but Elliott did not stop his car. 

When Williams moved the sign closer to Elliott’s car so he could see it, Elliott allegedly got out of his car and attacked Williams. 

According to police, Elliott punched WIlliams in the face and knocked him on the ground. Elliott allegedly grabbed the stop sign pole Williams was holding and swung it at him. 

Witnesses said Elliott fled the scene of the attack in his car. Cops were provided with Elliot’s license plate number and a video of him punching Williams. 

Officers went to Elliott’s address, where he admitted to hitting Williams in the face.  

Elliott was booked into the Pinal County jail on one felony count of aggravated assault. He faces a year and a half in prison. 

Elliott was jailed last month for failing to pay child support. That case is pending, according to court records. 

He has a lengthy criminal record and has been busted several times for driving with a revoked license. 

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