SAUGUS — A driver was arrested in Saugus Monday after police say he drove into a traffic island near Kelly’s Roast Beef, wielded a knife and assaulted four officers.
Nathaniel Belizaire, 28, of Cambridge, was arrested and charged with operating under the influence of liquor and possession to distribute a Class D substance — marijuana, according to Saugus Police Chief Ronald Giorgetti.
A manager at Kelly’s Roast Beef reported a Honda Civic was stuck on a traffic island outside the Route 1 restaurant just before 3:30 a.m. Monday. When police arrived, Belizaire became combative, according to Giorgetti.
“Four officers were assaulted,” he said. “There wasn’t any specific weapon involved, it was more or less an assault.”
Belizaire was additionally charged with resisting arrest, two counts of carrying a weapon or knife that violates the town’s ordinance by exceeding 2½ inches, and four counts of assault and battery on a police officer, according to Giorgetti.
Giorgetti said he couldn’t comment further on the incident because Belizaire had already been arraigned in Lynn District Court and the case had been turned over to Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s office.
Essex County DA spokeswoman Carrie Kimball-Monahan initially said Belizaire had not yet been arraigned and was expected to appear in court Wednesday. She later declined to comment, citing lack of access to the information prior to deadline.
“I’m not the only keeper of that information,” said Kimball-Monahan.
