LEOMINSTER — On Sunday, August 25, 2024, Officer Nicholas Rice and Officer James Labell were dispatched to 114 Viscoloid Avenue following a report of a male and female screaming at the residence.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narratives of Officer Rice, Officer Robert Connors, and Officer Zachary Schaeffer, and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Rice observed that the garage door was open and saw a door leading into the house from the garage. He knocked on this door several times, and after about five to seven minutes, a man, later identified as James Hutchens, came outside.
According to police, James H. Hutchens, Sr., 34, is a resident of 25 Millbrook Drive in Nashua, New Hampshire.
“It should be noted that before James exited the home, officers noticed that there was what appeared to be jelly or ketchup that was splattered on the bay window in the front of the home,” Officer Rice said. “We explained why we were there to James and we asked for permission to search the home to see if there was anyone else inside. He granted permission for police to enter the home and then became agitated that officers were inside. With how James was acting and his inability to comprehend, it was apparent he was under the influence of alcohol and possibly illegal narcotics.”
While speaking with Hutchens in the garage, his girlfriend pulled into the driveway in a white SUV.
“We went over to speak to her, and she stated that she received [text] messages that he was destroying the home and that he threatened to drink a gallon of bleach,” Officer Rice said. “She stated that she was terrified about going home and stated she did not want him there. After a brief conversation, it was determined that James has established residency, and we cannot force him to leave. I asked her if she was there in the home at all when this was going on and she stated no. I asked to see those messages because that might be enough to place James under a Section 12. The message she showed me was from January. I explained there was nothing I could do about that.”
According to malegislature.gov, a Section 12 is the “emergency restraint and hospitalization of persons posing risk of serious harm by reason of mental illness.”
Officer Rice reported that while he was speaking with Hutchens’ girlfriend, Hutchens walked into the roadway and began to lift the door handle of Sergeant Ny Mao’s cruiser.
“When Sgt. Mao asked him what he was doing he accused us of ‘flirting with girls’ (one of the girls being his girlfriend),” Officer Rice said. “I asked him why he was doing this and he said ‘three-on-one, ready?’ all while he was lifting up his shorts and slapping his chest like a gorilla. He was pointing at me and began to shuffle his feet like a trained boxer would do. At this point I had my taser out because I was placed in fear of imminent battery by James. He then singled me out by pointing at me and made a ‘B-Line’ for me. I then deployed my taser. My hit was successful in ‘splitting the belt.’ One dart hit landed in his upper thigh (about six-to-seven inches lower than his groin area) and the second dart hit him in the middle of his torso (near his sternum). Officer LaBell and I immediately rushed in and placed James in handcuffs. We got James left hand in handcuffs right away, however, he was laying on his right arm, tensing his muscles, and was refusing to give it up after several orders by officers on scene. I got my baton out and placed it in between the inside of his right elbow and his ribcage. I then began to pry James’s arm out from underneath him. Sgt. Mao was able to pry his arm out and we placed it in handcuffs. Once James was secured in handcuffs, we sat him up.”
After Hutchens was handcuffed, Officer Rice stated that he offered him “several services,” including rehab, but Hutchens declined.
“James then made the spontaneous utterance of ‘Holy $h*t, that was incredible!’” Officer Rice said. “I kept asking him if he was okay and he went from laughing to hysterically crying.”
Officer LaBell retrieved the tool to remove the taser darts and successfully extracted them. An ambulance was called and arrived at the scene shortly thereafter.
“James was refusing to get on the stretcher, so I applied a rear wrist lock to him,” Officer Rice said. “Once he was on the stretcher, I let go of the pressure. The firefighters told us that we had to put the handcuffs up front. Due to James’s volatility, multiple officers were present to assist in swapping handcuffs from front to back. I was explaining to James that we were going to place the handcuffs in front and he decided to try to spit on me. He spit right in the direction of my head however it went just over my hat. It is important to note that at this point due to James’s yelling and tumultuous behavior, about 15 people (mostly neighbors) came outside of their homes and began to watch and film.”
Officer Vasconcelos tried to put a sheet over Hutchens while he was on the stretcher to prevent him from spitting again.
“I feared that he was going to try to spit on me again since his first effort was unsuccessful,” Officer Rice said. “I placed one hand on the back of his neck so if he tried to spit on me again, I could redirect his head. He put his head back on the stretcher and turned towards me. I then moved my hand over his mouth so he couldn’t spit on me, and he began to freak out. I pulled my hand away. The firefighters put a mask on him.”
Hutchens was placed in the back of the ambulance, with Officers Labell and Rice accompanying him to the hospital.
When they arrived at the hospital, Officer Rice swapped handcuffs with Officer Robert Connors, who had been dispatched to the hospital. Officer Rice was then transported back to his cruiser by Officer Caulin Salvi.
Officer Rice then went back to Hutchens’ residence to speak with his girlfriend.
“She was upset and showed me that James completely ruined her house,” Officer Rice said. “I gathered a list of items that were damaged/broken. This list includes a TV ($200), two computers ($300), granite countertop ($1,000), and her wall that had a fist-sized hole in it ($300). I explained how to get a restraining order and she stated she was aware of the process and will be going to court tomorrow to get one. She mentioned that she had court for James tomorrow anyway because he has an open case for a previous domestic incident that occurred.”
On June 7, 2024, Hutchens was arrested at his girlfriend’s residence at 114 Viscoloid Avenue for assault and battery family/household member and assault with a dangerous weapon, for pushing his girlfriend in front of her son and throwing two empty beer cans and a bowl of pasta at her.
“On June 7, 2024, a victim, known to the Commonwealth, stated her boyfriend of five months, James Hutchens, pushed her on the arm, then threw two empty beer cans and a bowl of pasta at her while outside a private residence in the City of Leominster,” Officer Brandon Carlson wrote in a Statement of Facts for the incident. “The victim did not have any injuries at this time for the push and was able to move out of the way before being hit by any objects thrown.”
After Hutchens was arrested on June 7, 2024, his girlfriend filed an emergency restraining order with Leominster police.
Officer Connors said that Hutchens was transported to Leominster Hospital following his arrest on Aug. 25, 2024, because he was complaining of chest pain and making suicidal statements.
“James was brought into the emergency unit by Officer LaBell and the Leominster Fire Department,” Officer Connors said. “I accompanied James to his room, where he was waiting to be evaluated by the hospital staff. James started to become volatile, yelling at nurses and other officers on scene. James’ volatile behavior began to increase further when I attempted to switch his handcuffs, so that Officer LaBell could take his handcuffs with him back to the station. James began to yell at officers, and fixated specifically on Officer [Shane] Crawford.”
Officer Connors reported that Hutchens repeatedly threatened Officer Crawford, saying things like, “I’m going to kill you.” Officer Connors said that Hutchens then told him that he was going to kill himself.
“James then grabbed hold of the hospital bed sheet, and wrapped it around his neck in an attempt to choke himself,” Officer Connors said. “I demanded that James let go of the bed sheet, to which he did not respond and continued to attempt to choke himself. I grabbed onto the bed sheet in an attempt to take it away from James, but he began to resist. I called for Officer Crawford to assist me in getting the bed sheet away from James, who was turning red at this point. Officer Crawford and I were able to remove the bed sheet from James’ possession. During this struggle, James grabbed onto Officer Crawford’s hand and would not let go.”
Hutchens then tried to get up and Officer Crawford and Officer Conners physically pushed him back onto the bed so they could put his free hand in handcuffs.
“I was able to get a handcuff onto James’s left wrist, and secure the other side to the bed,” Officer Connors said. “Once James calmed down a bit, I was able to check the handcuff on his left wrist for tightness and double lock it.”
James was then discharged from the hospital, and transported back to the Leominster Police Department for booking by Officer Salvi and Officer LaBell in marked patrol car 2206.
When he was arrested on Aug. 25, 2024, Officer Rice charged Hutchens with the following, for the following reasons:
- Attempt to Commit a Crime: (“James attempted to break and enter into a police cruiser by walking over to the driver’s side door and lift the handle to gain unlawful entry, Officer Rice said.”)
- Vandalism: (“Maliciously breaking the TV,” Officer Rice said.)
- Vandalism: (“Maliciously breaking a laptop,” Officer Rice said.)
- Vandalism: (“Maliciously breaking a computer,” Officer Rice said.)
- Vandalism: (“Maliciously breaking a granite countertop,” Officer Rice said.)
- Vandalism: (“Maliciously breaking the wall,” Officer Rice said.)
- Assault: (“Saying ‘three-on-one, ready?,’ making a ‘B-Line’ right at me while lifting his shorts and slapping his chest like a gorilla which placed me in fear of imminent battery,” Officer Rice said.)
- Assault: (“Spitting right in the direction of my face/head,” Officer Rice said. “The spittle missed me and went over my head.”)
- Resisting Arrest: (“Laying on his right arm, tensing his muscles and refusing to comply with lawful orders to place his hands behind his back,” Officer Rice said.)
- Disturbing the Peace: (“James’s tumultuous behavior and yelling caused several people in the neighborhood to come outside of their homes to see what was going on,” Officer Rice said.)
- Threat to Commit a Crime: (For saying “I’m going to kill you,” to Officer Crawford when he was in the hospital.)
- Assault and Battery on a Police Officer: (For grabbing hold of Officer Crawford’s hand and refusing to let go while he was in the emergency room.)
While Hutchens was in a holding cell at the Leominster Police Department, Officer Zachary Schaeffer – who was working a shift as the house officer that evening – said that Hutchens requested medical attention.
“Prior to entering the booking/cell area I observed James on camera shoving items into the toilet,” Officer Schaeffer said. “James appeared to look around for ways to flush the toilet but due to the setup of the cell prisoners are not able to. James then was observed on camera shoving toilet paper into his mouth. I requested another officer to assist with stopping James’s behavior. Officer [Patrick] Flory and Connors accompanied me into the cell area. I walked into the cell block and asked James if he was okay. James was bent over stating he did not feel good and wanted to go to the hospital. I had Officer Flory inform Sgt. [Greg] Robichaud of the situation and call for EMS.”
Officer Connors and Officer Schaeffer then opened Hutchens’ cell door and pulled him out of the cell.
“James was on the ground then,” Officer Schaeffer said. “I pulled James out into the hallway to give us more space in case CPR was needed. James was rolled into the recovery position and his breathing was monitored. I checked James’s pulse multiple times and gave him a few sternum rubs. James would open and close his eyes and pick his head up while lying in the recovery position and move his feet. After a brief time, James awoke and sat up, he began talking to officers on scene. Leominster Fire arrived on scene and transported James to the hospital, Officers Klimowicz and Craven followed. It should be noted that before James was transported to the hospital, he requested a blanket, but due to James’ previous Q5 history (suicidal behavior) he was not given one. This made James angry. James went and laid down for a brief time before attempting to swallow the toilet paper.”
Hutchens bail was set at $1,000 cash.
Hutchens was arraigned in Leominster District Court on Aug. 26, 2024. Following his arraignment, Hutchens was released on bail under the condition that he comply with the restraining order requiring him to stay away from his girlfriend.
Hutchens’ next court date is a pretrial conference scheduled for Sept. 16, 2024.
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story was from August, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to get the court documents for the incident. FOIAs are time consuming.
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