One Arrested in Village Fracas
Involving ‘Sharpened Rock’

Randolph police responded several times on Sunday, Oct. 21 to reports of a simmering conflict that surfaced in several sites in town. The dispute eventually escalated into a physical attack with a sharpened rock that left one man injured and resulted in a charge of assault with a deadly weapon for another.

RPD Officer Tom Simpson initially responded to a 2:20 p.m. complaint by Patrick Therrian, 45, of Randolph, that he was being harassed by others, mostly young people, at a nearby residence. At the time, Therrian had a BAC of .192%, Officer Simpson reported.

Officer Simpson was called again, at 3:10 p.m., with a report that Therrian was harassing the young people. Simpson reported that he called Therrian and they discussed what "not having any contact" involved, and Therrian told the officer he would stay on his porch.

However, ten minutes later, Therrian called RPD to say the kids were bothering him again.

The conflict broke open at about 7 p.m., and Officer James Beraldi was dispatched to the Smart Shop on North Main for a report of a knife fight.

Beraldi arrived to find a large crowd on scene, and he ordered "all persons with weapons to put them on the ground." Several put knives on the ground, and Beraldi collected them for safekeeping.

After securing the scene, Beraldi interviewed Andrew S. Ford, 21, of Bethel, who had visible injuries, and who alleged that Therrian came at him with a sharpened rock.

Apparently no one was cut with the homemade weapon, as the teen and other witnesses told the officer that Therrian had dropped the "shank" and one of the young people had kicked it aside.

However, Therrian and Ford scuffled, exchanged punches, and Therrian allegedly head-butted Ford before leaving the scene, witnesses said. Ford had injuries consistent with that report.

Witnesses said the fight had started with some "trash talking," and that Therrian subsequently came across the street at a group of young people, most of them 16-18 years old.

Therrian was located on North Main at 7:40 p.m. and taken into custody. Therrian, who then registered a .162% BAC, said three younger people had been harassing a friend of his earlier.

He was processed on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, and was ordered held on $5000 cash surety bail at Southern State Correctional Center, pending araignment the following day at Orange District Court. Police noted that Therrian was on probation at the time of the Oct. 21 events.