A Huntsville man who injured multiple police officers, chased restaurant patrons and shut down Main Street had to answer for himself in Bracebridge court on Wednesday.
Thomas Fletcher, 34, added to roughly 40 previous convictions when he pled guilty to multiple charges including causing a disturbance, assaulting a police officer causing bodily harm, breaching court orders and multiple other charges.
The latest round of charges stem from three separate drug-fueled rampages that occurred last in 2023, court heard.
In the first instance, on June 29, 2023, police were called to a parking lot in Huntsville. When they arrived they found Fletcher naked and attempting to break into cars in the parking lot. Fletcher was under the influence of drugs, court heard and damaged the windshield of one of the cars before being arrested.
Court heard that Fletcher had just finished a previous jail stint one day before the incident.
On August 31, 2023, the Huntsville OPP received multiple calls about a disturbance on Main Street. Callers reported a man smashing things in the middle of the street, blocking traffic, jumping up and down on cars and attempting to gain access to them. The man, later identified as Fletcher, then entered a downtown restaurant and began smashing things causing the patrons to run out of the establishment.
The police were then forced to shut down a section of Main Street. When officers attempt to apprehend Fletcher he punched one in the face and broke another’s finger before being subdued.
Then on October 23, 2023, at roughly 6 pm police again received multiple calls for service after a naked man was attempting to get into vehicles. Police again found Fletcher under the influence and he was arrested and kept in custody up until his court appearance this week.
Court heard Fletcher suffers from depression and self-medicates with drugs and alcohol, which leads to his criminal behaviour.
He was sentenced to time served and two years probation.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox three times per week!
Click here to support local news
Join the discussion: