Tyrone Fernando, 24, from Curlewis, was refused bail in Maitland Local Court on Monday after his arrest on Sunday night.

Police said a lone sergeant stopped a car containing Mr Fernando and three others - two women and a 20-year-old man - on Trevor Street in the Maitland suburb of Telarah just after 8.30pm.

Police allege the 24-year-old punched the sergeant on the left side of the face as the officer was trying to arrest him.

Mr Fernando and the 20-year-old allegedly fled the scene.

Police also allege that Mr Fernando then assaulted two more officers when they found and arrested him nearby.

Investigators know the identity of the 20-year-old and are urging him to contact police.

In court on Monday, Mr Fernando did not enter any pleas to the charges leveled at him - two counts each of assaulting a police officer in the execution of their duty without actual bodily harm and resisting an officer in the execution of their duty.

He was also charged with one count each of unlicensed driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, assaulting a police officer in the execution of their duty causing actual bodily harm, escaping police custody and causing grievous bodily harm to a police officer being reckless as to actual bodily harm.

Mr Fernando will face court again on August 19.

Port Stephens-Hunter police commander Superintendent Chad Gillies said there were "grave concerns" for the sergeant's eye, which was still being assessed.

"He's in the good care of the doctors at John Hunter Hospital at the moment," Superintendent Gillies told reporters on Monday morning.

"He is in good spirits, but we obviously have concerns of the nature of the eye injury.

"We now have an officer off the street with a serious facial injury."