A brawl between tenants, their parents and the landlord Monday in a quiet Haverhill neighborhood sent a 53-year-old North Andover man to the hospital with a non-life-threatening stab wound.
As WHAV reported on the air Tuesday, 27-year-old-old Norman Joncas III of Lawrence was arrested at 12:19 p.m., at 17 Downing Ave., off Primrose Street. He was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon—a steak knife. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Haverhill District Court and was ordered to return March 31.
In a report, police described the situation inside the home as “chaotic” with multiple people bleeding and “shouting at each other and also to officers in an attempt to relay what had transpired.”
Haverhill Police found the 53-year-old victim outside, sitting on a porch with his left leg elevated and a tourniquet wrapped to control bleeding. Police said there was “a large amount of blood,” “a blood trail led into the apartment” and more blood on the kitchen floor.
Joncas told police he and his girlfriend were in the process of moving from Derry, N.H., into the Downing Avenue apartment, but he received a call from his girlfriend’s father telling him he was not welcome. The girlfriend later told police she had ended the relationship with Joncas and was only allowing him to store things in the new apartment.
Joncas said he went to the home with his 62-year-old father to “make sure nothing was being thrown away.” A fight broke out between Joncas and his girlfriend’s father and between Joncas’ father, the landlord and landlord’s brother—cousins of the girlfriend. Joncas said he grabbed a knife to defend himself and his father. He told police his father is disabled and had been pinned to the floor. He said he swung the knife, striking his girlfriend’s father in the leg. Meanwhile, the landlord’s brother said Joncas’ father had struck him with a cordless drill. Joncas’ father was found with nose injuries and a torn right earlobe that later required stitches. He initially refused medical treatment.
The knife was recovered on top of a refrigerator in the apartment.
The stab victim was assisted by Sgt. Jamie Landry and Officer Adam Durkee along with the Haverhill Fire Department and Trinity EMS.