New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was taken into custody on Friday around 7 p.m. by Kenner police, facing misdemeanor charges of simple battery and criminal mischief.
Thomas, who was reportedly cooperative, underwent booking procedures without incident and was released from custody at approximately 10 p.m., according to law enforcement officials.
The arrest stemmed from a confrontation between Thomas and a construction worker involved in building a house in the receiver’s neighborhood. The worker claimed that Thomas berated him for parking in front of his residence and issued verbal threats. The situation escalated when Thomas, reportedly agitated by being recorded, allegedly hurled a brick at the worker’s windshield, causing minimal damage. The worker asserted that Thomas, averse to being recorded, shoved him and knocked the phone from his hands.
The man informed WDSU, the local NBC affiliate, that tensions had been mounting over several weeks, during which Thomas repeatedly requested construction workers to refrain from parking in front of his house, threatening to damage their vehicles if the request was ignored.
Legal proceedings for the charges are expected to take place in Kenner’s Mayor’s Court, which handles cases related to traffic violations, misdemeanors, and code enforcement within the city.
The New Orleans Saints acknowledged the incident and stated that they are in the process of gathering information.
This marks the second arrest of a Saints player in Kenner within the past month, following wide receiver Chris Olave’s arrest on October 23 for suspected reckless operation of a motor vehicle.
