New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was arrested Friday following an incident involving a contractor outside his home, Kenner police confirmed in a news release. The arrest comes two days before the Saints’ game against the host Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
In an interview with WDSU, alleged victim Luis Cifuentes claimed he was building a house across the street from Thomas’s in Kenner, a suburb of New Orleans, and had been having problems with the receiver for about two weeks . Thomas was allegedly upset and threatened the construction crew that parked in front of his house, telling Cifuentes he would get “a brick or a bullet” in his car.
On Friday, Cifuentes said Thomas went to the construction site, grabbed two bricks and threw them at his truck. Cifuentes said he began recording video, which allegedly caused Thomas to grab the phone and push it in an attempt to delete the video.
The brick caused “little or no damage” to the contractor’s windshield, police said in a statement released Saturday morning.
Cifuentes and his neighbors said Thomas was placed in a Kenner Police Department vehicle. Thomas, 30, was arrested “without incident” and fully cooperative during the investigation, according to the police statement. He was arrested and released around 10 p.m. on charges of simple battery and criminal mischief. A judge will rule on the offenses in Kenner Mayor’s Court.
Just before news of Thomas’ arrest began to trickle out, the Saints released a short statement which did not specify the allegations: “We are aware of the incident and are gathering information. »
Thomas’ arrest comes just two weeks after the arrest of the Saints’ other top receiver, Chris Olave. The 23-year-old was arrested for allegedly driving 70 mph in a 30 mph zone, with video showing him pointedly telling an officer: “I play for the Saints, man.”