Car break foiled in Swampscott

A resident said he was defending his property and family after he was arrested for assault and battery after he broke the jaw of a man he said was trying to break into his car early Saturday morning.”I was just defending my property and home,” said Cherry Street resident Anthony McKay. “I’m not going to be scared away by these little punks. This is where I live, and I’ve lived here my entire life ? I guess everybody else closes those doors and don’t want to confront people, but I’m not going to put up with this. I’ve got children here.”Christian Johnson, 30, of 162 Union St., Lynn, was arrested and charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct, attempt to commit a crime, possession of a knife over 2? inches and a subsequent offense of possession of a Class A substance. He was scheduled to be arraigned this morning at Lynn District Court.But the victim of the alleged break-in, McKay, 29, of 37 Cherry St., faces a summons for assault and battery causing severe injury after he broke Johnson’s jaw after confronting him when Johnson allegedly was trying to break into his car.The incident occurred early Saturday morning on Cherry Street, when police received a call from a woman who said her husband was confronting a man breaking into his car, according to the police log. Another resident subsequently reported to the police that the two individuals were fighting.McKay – who describes himself as 5-feet-6 and about 250 pounds – said he had just finished celebrating his 29th birthday when he heard noises outside his home. He went outside and confronted Johnson, whom McKay said was a known drug user and with whom he had argued before.”What caught me on an edge was that once I realized who it was, people had told me that you better watch out, he likes to pull a knife,” McKay said, describing Johnson as skinnier and taller than himself.When McKay said he saw Johnson reach for something, he punched him. By the time police arrived at the scene, he had Johnson pinned to the ground, McKay said. He also said that when police picked Johnson off the ground, there was a three-inch knife and police baton underneath him. Johnson was transported to Salem Hospital and then to Massachusetts General Hospital for surgery, according to Swampscott Police Sgt. Detective Tim Cassidy.Johnson could not be reached for comment.McKay defended his actions, however.”You’re just on edge, there’s a lot of stuff going on down here,” said McKay. “I’ve got tools in the back of my truck, and had fishing rods stolen off my steps and just went out to see what was going on and now I have a shoulder injury that I have to get an MRI.”And if convicted, he said, he might also face losing his home, which is managed by the Swampscott Housing Authority.He did not fault police, however.”I think the Swampscott police department’s hands are tied and they have to charge me for it,” McKay said. “But it’s unfortunate that I had to defend myself and that now I have to pay to go to court.”Cassidy said Monday that residents should leave potential arrests to police.”We don’t urge anybody to (fight back),” Cassidy said. “We want them to call us.”Cyrus Moulton can be reached at [email protected]