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Katherine Terrell, ESPN Staff Writer
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was arrested on misdemeanor charges of simple battery and criminal mischief around 7 p.m. Friday, according to Kenner police.
Thomas was cooperative and booked without incident. He was released from lockup around 10 p.m., according to the police.
Thomas was arrested following an altercation with a man who was doing construction work on a house being built in Thomas’ neighborhood. The man stated that Thomas yelled at him about parking in front of his house and issued verbal threats.
According to the man’s statement, Thomas was also upset that the man began recording him during the incident and threw a brick at his windshield, which caused “little if any damage.” The man alleged Thomas said he did not want to be recorded, shoved him and knocked the phone out of his hands.
The man also told WDSU, the local NBC affiliate, that the issue had been building up for several weeks after Thomas repeatedly asked the construction workers to stop parking in front of his house and threatened to throw something at the cars if they were not moved.
The charges will be adjudicated in Kenner’s Mayor’s Court, which has jurisdiction over traffic, misdemeanor and code enforcement violations occurring within the city of Kenner.
The Saints said last night that they were aware of the incident and were gathering information.
Thomas’ arrest was the second in the past month by a Saints player in the city of Kenner. Wide receiver Chris Olave was arrested Oct. 23 on suspicion of reckless operation of a motor vehicle.
