Police: Haverhill man charged with throwing bottles at vehicles, using knife to make threats

Apr. 15—Haverhill police arrested two men, one of whom they said was seen throwing bottles at passing cars and using a large knife to threaten people.

Police said the man making those threats — Josue Arroyo, 32, of 229 Washington St. — is charged with destruction of property valued at more than $120, breaking and entering in the nighttime for felony, disorderly conduct, threat to commit a crime and two counts of possession of Class B drugs (cocaine and amphetamines).

During a hearing on March 29 in Haverhill District Court, Judge Cesar Archilla held Arroyo without bail pending a dangerousness hearing on April 1.

At that hearing, Arroyo was found to be dangerous and ordered to be fitted with a GPS tracking bracelet, confined to his mother's home, remain drug and alcohol free and undergo screenings, not possess any firearms, have no contact with victims or witnesses, continue taking his prescribed medications and continue receiving services from Vinfen.

According to its website, the Vinfen organization provides community-based services to people with psychiatric conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain injuries and behavioral health challenges.

A pretrial hearing for Arroyo was scheduled for May 12.

The other man arrested — Juan Figueroa, 18, of 233 Washington St. — is charged with malicious damage to a motor vehicle and disorderly conduct. The judge set bail at $2,000 cash and scheduled a pretrial hearing for April 16.

Figueroa and Arroyo were arrested March 27 between 11:08 and 11:20 p.m. at 233 Washington St.

According to a police report on file in Haverhill District Court, on the day of the arrest at 10:41 p.m. police were sent to Washington Street at Temple Street for a report of a man in the street trying to stop passing vehicles.

When officers arrived, they found a group of about 10 people who appeared to be holding Figueroa, who was seen kicking the passenger side of a grey Honda Accord parked in front of 233 Washington St., the police report said.

Police said Figueroa tried at one point to confront Arroyo. Police said they ordered Figueroa to stop his disorderly behavior, which was making the scene more chaotic. Figueroa was placed into the back seat of a police cruiser. Police said Figueroa was uncooperative and swore at officers.

A witness, Damien Ortiz of 233 Washington St., told police that he was in his second-floor apartment with his brother-in-law, Figueroa, when they noticed that Arroyo was causing a scene outside and that he was holding a large black knife while yelling at passing cars.

Ortiz told officers he tried to reason with Arroyo, but that Arroyo responded by saying he was coming up to the apartment, the police report said.

Ortiz told police that Arroyo kicked in the front door to his apartment building and, when Ortiz opened his apartment door to see what was going on, he and Figueroa encountered Arroyo. Ortiz said Arroyo was holding a large black knife at his side, according to the report.

Ortiz told police that Arroyo and Figueroa got into an argument, and then Arroyo walked back downstairs and left the building.

Ortiz told police that officers began arriving at the scene as a commotion was happening outside the building.

Wanda Figueroa of 233 Washington St. told police that she saw Arroyo throw bottles at passing cars while holding a knife in his hand and that he was yelling profanity and telling drivers to get out of their vehicles, according to the police report.

Police said they followed Arroyo into his apartment and found a large black knife behind a door. Police said Arroyo was uncooperative and appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Officers arrested him.

While officers booked Arroyo at the police station, his behavior became erratic, confrontational and aggressive, police said. A search of Arroyo turned up a small baggie containing what officers believed was cocaine and another baggie containing six pills that officers believed was amphetamine, police said.

Police said that after officers placed Arroyo into a cell, he began banging his head on the cell door and punched it repeatedly.

"His erratic behavior escalated and he began speaking nonsense," a police report said.

Arroyo was then transported to Holy Family Hospital in Haverhill for a medical evaluation, police said. After being medically cleared, Arroyo was returned to the police station and placed into a cell, police said.