A 32-year-old East Arlington man faces four charges following a fight in a parking lot early Sunday, Jan. 3.
Craig D. Sullivan, who lists a Gardner Street address, was charged with two counts of drug possession, assault and being a fugitive.
A police report says officers were called at 6:28 a.m. to the parking lot of a Gardner Street address, where a fight was reported in progress.
Subsequently, police learned that Sullivan had been hanging around a car, and the suspect could not fully explain his actions.
The police provided the following account, which reflect the twists and turns that questioning of a suspect can take:
On arrival, police saw two people in the lot arguing, and they were separated.
Police then spoke with a couple, one of whom was sitting a car trying to go to work. The husband said that an unknown male, later identified as Sullivan, was standing around his wife’s car that morning. The husband said he asked Sullivan why he was there, and the latter “became very aggressive toward him and pushed him.” They began fighting and wrestling, the report said.
The husband said his wife began yelling and said she was calling police. Sullivan pushed away as officers arrived.
Police then heard Sullivan’s side. He told police he was looking into a car that he believed to be his mother’s car. Asked where that car is, Sullivan said she does not live at the Gardner Street address.
Asked why his mother’s car would be in the parking lot where the altercation occurred if she does not live here, he told police the car he was looking into was similar to his mother’s.
Asked why he was looking into that car, the report says, “He did not have an answer for this question.”
Asked about the fight, Sullivan said the husband attacked him. Asked why, he said “it was probably because he was looking into his wife’s car. Asked who pushed first, starting the fight, Sullivan referred to the husband.
Police turned to the wife, and, the report said, “her statement mirrored” the husband’s.
During a check to see whether anyone involved in this case has an outstanding warrant or issue with probation, Arlington dispatch reported that Sullivan has an active probation warrant. Sullivan was placed under arrest.
As Sullivan was seated handcuffed in the rear of the police vehicle, he asked officers to find a bag containing his wallet and other personal property. They did, and Sullivan identified it.
Police checked the bag’s contents and found several prescription pills, two cut straws and other personal property. Asked about the pills, Sullivan said he has a prescription for them.
Asked why his prescription medicine is mixed together in two Ibuprofen bottles, Sullivan said that is the way he carries his pills.
Police told Sullivan he would need to provide a prescription for the pills when he is arraigned at court.
An officer identified some of the pills as being Class C and Class E drugs.
Class C controlled substances are considered less dangerous than Class B, and most have some common legitimate medical and pharmaceutical uses. Class E drugs include lesser prescription drugs such as Adderall, narcotics with codeine and some other anti-anxiety drugs that can have some euphoric effects.
Most of the pills were cut or distorted in some way that made difficult for us to identify, police said.
Police cleared the couple. The husband was offered medical attention, which he declined.
This report was published Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016.
