MELROSE — An 18-year-old New Hampshire man was arrested early Saturday morning, Jan. 31, after becoming combative with police on Lodge Avenue.
At 2:24 a.m., police noticed a silver Chevy Impala parked “askew” on the street and saw that a man and woman inside were involved in a discussion. When an officer ran a routine check of the license plate they determined the owner had an outstanding arrest warrant. He approached the vehicle, knocked on the window and the man refused to open the door.
The man, Nicholas Burke of 4 Partridge Ln., East Kingston, N.H., was characterized as becoming aggressive with police, saying they had no right to arrest him. He continued to refuse to open the car door. When he eventually did, he tried to strike an officer. At some point, Burke was subdued and struck police in the process. Another officer at the scene was forced to use pepper spray to completely get control of Burke, who was handcuffed and taken to headquarters.
Burke was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and assault and battery on a police officer, as well as being arrested on the outstanding warrant.
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Police had to use pepper spray again early Sunday morning, Feb. 1, after a patient at Melrose-Wakefield Hospital reportedly barricaded himself inside an exam room in the emergency room area.
Police went to the hospital around 12:20 a.m. after being told the patient had become aggressive with staff. He soon barricaded himself inside an exam room, using furniture to block himself in.
At some point, as police continuously tried to talk him out, the man reportedly tried to smash a glass door using a piece of furniture. He made certain threats and said he was going to kill police. Several attempts were made to defuse the situation, police said, and when they proved fruitless police were somehow able to subdue him with pepper spray.
Police asked staff if they wanted to press charges and they said no.
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Police handled several calls from residents during the blizzard of Jan. 26-28
On Tuesday, Jan. 27, the DPW called at 12:51 a.m. asking for help in moving a car blocking snow plowing operations at the corner of Maple and Tappan streets. The car, police said, was gone when they responded.
The DPW called again at 2:49 a.m. reporting the same thing on Maple Street.
Just before 7 a.m. a Holbrook Court resident called to report his street wasn’t plowed.
At 5:27 p.m. a Grove Street resident said someone was plowing snow onto a sidewalk.
At 7:26 p.m. a motorist called to say he couldn’t make it up Mount Vernon Avenue.
At 9:33 p.m. a Pleasant Street resident reported that others were putting snow from their driveways out into the street.
A Lebanon Street resident told police of a natural gas odor near the Ripley School around 4 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28.
Just before 6 a.m. that day, a Lynn Fells Parkway resident reported his snow blower had been stolen.
At 7:51 a.m. the DPW was asked to plow Faulkner Place.
A street light police was reported leaning on Lynn Fells Parkway around 8:30 a.m.
An officer asked that Chester Street be plowed around 8:40 a.m.
A contractor plowing out a property on Laurel Street reportedly was pushing snow across the road onto a sidewalk at the Common, blocking it. The report came in at 8:51 a.m.
A blue Honda covered in snow was reportedly driving in the area of Tremont and Franklin streets around 9:10 a.m. Police could not locate the vehicle.
At 9:22 a.m. police spoke to some people throwing snow out into Berwick Street. They were digging out their vehicles, and told police they would clean up any snow from the street once their cars were out.
A Green Street resident reported a leaking boiler at 11:51 a.m.
A resident complained about snow plowing on Union Street at 1 p.m.
At 1:08 p.m. a resident at the Cochrane House on Grove Street became concerned when he saw youths playing in a large snow pile in the parking lot. When police arrived, the kids were gone.
Two cars were stuck in snow near the Mount Hood Clubhouse around 2 p.m. but people were able to free them.
A truck removing snow reportedly knocked into a light pole at the corner of Main and Franklin streets around 3 p.m.
A stop sign was knocked down at the corner of Vinton and Maple streets around 3:10 p.m.
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Also on Wednesday, Jan. 28, a woman came to police with a poster she had made from security surveillance footage that allegedly showed someone taking two packages off the front porch of her Main Street home sometime before 4:18 p.m. The packages were from an LL Bean and a Disney outlet.
Police continue to investigate.
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On Thursday, Jan. 29, a physician went to police on the advice of a field agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency after learning someone had been forging his signature for about a month to get prescription medication. The report was logged at 12:40 p.m.
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A strong odor of natural gas was detected at the intersection of Cochrane Street and Damon Avenue around 6:50 p.m. Jan. 29. National Grid was notified.
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Snow removers apparently damaged a light pole at the corner of Hurd Street and West Wyoming Avenue around 11:45 p.m.
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Police received three early morning complaints of loud noise near the corner of Main and Franklin streets Friday, Jan. 30, as the city conducted snow removal operations.
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At 10:27 a.m. Jan. 30, a Warwick Road resident said multiple jackets, winter boots, hats and gloves had been stolen from a mud room.
