Haverhill Man, 20, Faces Drug, Assault and Other Charges After Failing to Pay Restaurant Tab

(WHAV News file photograph.)

A 20-year-old Haverhill man faces a variety of charges after he was accused of getting into a scuffle when he tried to leave a downtown restaurant without paying his bill.

Jason Connolly, of 136 S. Elm St., was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, drug possession with intent to distribute, defacing property, disorderly conduct and defrauding an innkeeper over $100.

According to a report by Patrolman Matthew Marshall, Connolly and a 22-year-old friend, ran up a $137.64 bill late Friday afternoon at Casa Blanca Mexican Restaurant, 2 Essex St. Trouble began when the server asked Connolly to pay before receiving more drinks. After an argument, Connolly reportedly bolted from his outdoor table, tripped over a fire hydrant and spilled drugs—mostly Xanax pills and suboxone strips.

Connolly was pursued by the server, who also fell to the ground, and told police he had been struck in the face while down. A friend of the server saw the commotion on the sidewalk as he was driving by and said he witnessed Connolly kick the server in the face, according to the report. The friend pulled over and sat on Connolly until police arrived. Another patron told police she also saw Connolly kick the server in the face.

Connolly complained of knee pain after striking the fire hydrant and was checked by Trinity EMS at the police station. He was charged with defacing property when he spit inside the police cruiser.

Besides the drugs, police sized nunchucks, a martial arts weapon. At his arraignment Monday in Haverhill District Court, Connolly was ordered held without bail because he failed to appear in court in June on unrelated charges pending against him.

The other diner who fled was found by police a short time later on Walnut Street. Police said that man admitted to not paying the bill, but ran only because he saw his friend run.

Comments are closed.