By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — A homeless man is in custody following an incident Tuesday morning in which he attempted to stab a downtown restaurant employee and two police officers who responded, according to police.
Gary Blanchard, 47, who provided an address as the streets of Amherst, was arrested on a warrant at 10:17 a.m. Wednesday charging him with three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of disorderly conduct, said Detective Marcus Humber.
The warrant stems from an incident at 11:48 a.m. Tuesday at Starbucks, 71 North Pleasant St., where Blanchard allegedly caused a scene and then, when an employee asked him to leave, he pulled out a knife and made threatening gestures with it, Humber said.
When two officers got there, Blanchard had a second knife in his possession.
“He pulled out another knife and tried to stab an officer,” Humber said.
Officers were able to prevent Blanchard from using the knives to injure anyone, Humber said.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
Jonathan A. Laurence, 56, who lists his address as the streets of Northampton, was arrested at about 6:49 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of trespassing after he refused to leave Stop & Shop, 228 King St. Staff called police after Laurence refused to leave the front of the store, where he was sleeping outside, authorities said. Police were also called a few hours earlier when Laurence was reportedly found intoxicated in the store’s bathroom. He was transported to the hospital, treated and released. Police said Laurence had returned to the store shortly before his arrest.
Frankie J. Diaz, 22, of Springfield, was arrested at about 4:40 a.m. Thursday on charges of resisting arrest, disorderly assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a family or household member and assault and battery on a police officer. Police responded to Hampshire Heights apartments after a woman said she was threatened with a knife. Authorities said when they responded to the complex that Diaz was uncooperative, spat on an officer and attempted to kick another. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in Northampton District Court on Thursday and is due back in court Feb. 16.