LEOMINSTER — On Friday, July 17, 2026, Leominster Police Officer Robert Connors responded to the area of the Twin Cities Rail Trail behind the Applebee’s at 251 N Main Street following a report of a man chasing people with a gas can after assaulting a passerby.
Leominster Police Officers Mackenson Adescar and Nicholas Rice also responded to the scene.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Officer Robert Connors and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live which is strictly a business entity.)
Officer Connors said that when they arrived on scene, Officers Rice and Adescar searched the woods behind the rail trail after a witness reported that the assault suspect had fled into the area wearing all black and a black baseball cap.
“I went to speak with a female party, who stated that her husband was the one who was assaulted,” Officer Connors said.
The woman told Officer Connors that an unknown man ran up to her and her husband and struck her husband with a gas can.
Officer Connors said the woman’s husband approached him and reported that the suspect had struck him with what he believed was his fist, although he did not see what hit him. The husband said the suspect then raised a gas can into the air and shouted, “I’m going to kill you!”
The husband said he did nothing to provoke the man.
Officer Connors said that while he was speaking with the husband and wife, Officer Rice reported that he and Officer Adescar had located a man matching the suspect’s description in the woods who identified himself as Eric Sizelove.
According to police, Eric I. Sizelove, 38, is a resident of Fitchburg, MA.
“At this time, I asked Richard if he required medical care, and he stated he did not,” Officer Connors said. “I then went to Officer Rice and Officer Adescar’s location, which was in the woods behind Barnes & Noble.”
Officer Connors noted that the wooded area behind Barnes & Noble is private property and has several “No Trespassing” signs posted along the surrounding fence.
“It is important to note that when I was exiting the woods, I tripped over a fallen tree and scraped my shin,” Officer Connors said.
Officer Connors said he alerted Lieutenant Thomas Wade, completed an injured-on-duty form and photographed his injuries using the officer-in-charge phone.
“When I arrived, Eric was already agitated and yelling at Officer Adescar and Officer Rice. Eric tried to state that he did not hit anyone with the gas can, and stated that Richard had called him a ‘homo’ and was trying to accost him,” Officer Connors said. Adding, “At this time, due to [the woman] stating that she witnessed Eric hit [her husband with the gas can, and [her husband] stating that he was hit by Eric, I informed Eric that he was being placed under arrest for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.”
Officer Adescar handcuffed Sizelove before joining Officer Connors in escorting him to Officer Rice’s cruiser.
“While escorting Eric, Eric began to shout and call Officer Adescar and I ‘fa$$ots,’” Officer Connors said. He added that Sizelove began spitting in front of himself and attempted to pull away from police multiple times.
“Eric then turned and spit directly at Officer Adescar, who stated that the spit landed on him,” Officer Connors said. “Shortly afterwards, we were able to get Eric into marked patrol car 2204 for transport to the Leominster Police Station for booking.”
Officer Connors said he went back to speak with the woman and her husband when another man approached him and reported that Sizelove had also chased him with a gas can, and he was afraid Sizelove would strike him with it.
While Officer Connors was speaking with the new witness, Officer Rice reported over the radio that he was elevating the response level because Sizelove was kicking the window of his cruiser.
Officer Connors said that as he and Officer Adescar were preparing to clear the scene, another witness approached him and reported seeing Sizelove strike the woman’s husband with the gas can and threaten the other man with it.
The witness then pointed to the area where Sizelove allegedly dropped the gas can before fleeing the scene prior to police arrival.
“I located the gas can, which was full, and seized it for evidence,” Officer Connors said.
Eric I. Sizelove, 38, of Fitchburg, was arrested and charged with the following:
- Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (three counts): “Eric raised the gas can and shouted, ‘I’m going to kill you,’ to [the husband] and [wife],” Officer Connors explained. “Both parties were placed in fear of an imminent battery. Eric also raised the gas can at [the other man], who was also placed in fear of an imminent battery.”
- Assault & Battery with Dangerous Weapon: “Eric hit [the husband] with the full gas can,” Officer Connors said. “This was witnessed by [his wife] and [the other female witness]. [The husband] stated he did not sustain any injuries from the assault and battery.”
- Assault & Battery on Police Officer: “Eric spit on Officer Adescar, who told me that the spit landed on him, while escorting Eric to marked patrol car 2204,” Officer Connors said.
- Vandalize Property: “Eric was kicking marked patrol car 2204’s window and spitting in the prisoner compartment,” Officer Connors said.
- Trespassing: “Eric was located by police in the woods behind Barnes and Noble which is private property with multiple ‘No Trespassing’ signs placed along the fence,” Officer Connors said. “The signs are clearly visible in multiple places along the fence.”
Sizelove was arraigned in Leominster District Court on July 20, 2026. Following his arraignment, he was released on $2,500 cash bail under the condition that he stay away from and not contact the victim(s). Sizelove’s next court date was a pretrial conference hearing scheduled for Aug. 6, 2026.
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in July, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.
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