Wareham Man Accused Of Pulling Fire Alarm, Attacking First Responders
WAREHAM (CBS) – A Wareham man appeared before a judge Monday after he was accused of pulling a fire alarm and then punching police officers and firefighters who responded. Thirty-five-year-old Theodore Lopes was released on $2,500 cash bail after his arraignment.
He was arrested Sunday morning around 8 a.m. after a struggle at the Union Pond apartments.
According to prosecutors, Lopes pulled the alarm and then tried to force his way into a woman's apartment.
"He didn't hurt me or anything like that but it was just scary because, like I said, my daughter was in there, I didn't know who he was. He was just some guy standing in his underwear," said Kylene Greene who lives at the apartment complex with her two-year-old daughter.
Responding firefighters quickly realized the alarm was unfounded. They also saw Lopes was wearing only boxers and a t-shirt in the parking lot. He was running around and then got into a car with children inside who were trying to stay warm while the fire alarm was investigated.
Cesar Toribio told WBZ-TV his children and his neighbor's children were in the van. He said the van was running as Lopes climbed into the driver's seat but he was able to grab the keys as firefighters pulled Lopes out of the vehicle.
Several firefighters and two paramedics wrestled Lopes as he kicked, thrashed and had to be subdued with a stun gun, police said.
Two officers and a paramedic suffered minor injuries in the struggle.
A defense attorney for Lopes said his client was on drugs during the incident. "He was at a party and then acted the way he acted, which is just not him. So it was quite scary obviously for the mother and the children involved but he's not that guy to engage in this type of behavior. Someone put something in his drink and then this happened." said lawyer Rob Galibous.
Lopes was charged with breaking and entering for misdemeanor, attempted larceny of a motor vehicle, interfering with a firefighter, assault and battery on ambulance personnel, assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery on a firefighter, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, false fire alarm and resisting arrest.
He was also ordered to stay away from the apartment complex. A pretrial hearing was scheduled for Nov. 27.
