BARTON — An East Haven man is facing a slew of charges following an incident at the Lakehouse Saloon in Barton early this morning.
Police say 51-year-old Benjamin Clarke is being charged with aggravated assault on law enforcement, disarming law enforcement officer, impeding public officer, criminal threatening, aggravated assault, unlawful mischief, aggravated disorderly conduct, unlawful trespass, and resisting arrest.
According to police, Clarke entered the bar around midnight and was asked to leave by the bouncers.
Police say he refused and began throwing pool balls at patrons inside the bar, striking one man in the face with them.
He was taken outside by the bouncers where he produced a knife and began threatening them and the other patrons at the bar.
According to the report, Clarke stated several times he was going to blow up the towns of Barton and St. Johnsbury.
He then crawled across the parking lot and slashed a woman’s tire.
Shortly after slashing the tire, police arrived on the scene.
The bouncers told police that they believed Clarke had taken several doses of LSD or PCP.
Police say Clarke began to attack them on the scene by punching a trooper in the head, attempting to disarm the trooper, and threatening to kill them.
Clarke was ultimately taken into custody and transported to North Country Hospital for treatment and evaluation.
He was remanded to the custody of Vermont Corrections however remained at North Country Hospital for evaluation.
He was held on lack of $75,000.00 bail.
