‘Heavily Intoxicated’ Man Punches Cop At Taco Bell: Middletown PD

MIDDLETOWN, CT — A “heavily intoxicated” man is accused of punching a police officer in the face during a struggle at Taco Bell in Middletown on Wednesday afternoon. Police responded to Taco Bell, located at 851 Washington Street, at about 3:30 p.m. on the report of an “unwanted heavily intoxicated male” lying in the grass, according to the police report.

Management at Taco Bell had previously called police because the man had been sleeping inside the restaurant from about 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. They had let him sleep off his “obvious intoxication” but he became belligerent when he was asked to leave, according to the police report. The man eventually left but was later seen drinking more alcohol while lying in the grass between Taco Bell and Price Chopper.

Arriving officers found the suspect, identified as John Brady, lying in the grass next to the dumpster area and drinking from a 5th of Dubra Vodka with about six small bottles of wine littered around him. Police recognized Brady, 59, from a previous arrest but he refused to speak with officers and only “grunted” at them, according to the report.

Police discovered Brady had two wine bottles inside his sweatshirt while they checked him for potential weapons. Police said Brady grabbed an officer’s arm but after being told they were just checking for weapons he smiled, leaned back and gave “two thumbs up,” according to the report.

Brady is accused of punching an officer in the face as they were checking his left sweatshirt pocket. Police then attempted handcuff Brady and a struggle ensued. Brady sustained a small laceration to his forehead from a curb during the struggle and was taken via ambulance to Middlesex Hospital for treatment of his heavy intoxication and bleeding forehead, according to the police report.

While at the hospital, Brady is accused of being “extremely belligerent” to the staff and making multiple attempts to strike the nurses and security officers but wasn’t successful, police said. He was cleared by doctors in the emergency room just before midnight and then taken into police custody and arrested.

Brady, of Nutmeg Court in Middletown, was charged with assault on a police officer and second-degree breach of peace. He was held on a $25,000 surety bond and was scheduled to be arraigned in court on Thursday morning.

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