Man Living in Tent Charged with Assault on Arlington Police Officer

A man who has been living in a tent off Gorham Street in Arlington for the last eight months was arrested early Tuesday morning and charged with assault and battery on a police officer.

Police were called to Gorham Street at about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a cab driver having trouble collecting a fare. The cab driver had been banging on a resident’s door – however, the resident told police that he hadn’t been in the cab and it was probably the man who occasionally cuts through his yard to a tent on an adjacent property.

The resident said the man, later identified as 60-year-old Gregory J. Sahagian, of Crawford Street, Arlington, has been living in the tent for the last eight months, according to police.

Police allegedly found Sahagian lying face down in leaves and heavy brush between two properties. He appeared to be intoxicated, police said.

An officer then took Sahagian to his Crawford Street home so he could get money to pay the fare. Inside the home, after the officer said he needed to speak with the woman who lived there, Sahagian closed two French doors on him, hitting him in the arms and chest, in an attempt to prevent him from proceeding.

At this time, the two officers on scene arrested Sahagian, and the woman, who was awoken by the commotion, gave the officers money for the fare.

Police allegedly found marijuana on Sahagian and issued him a violation.