Argument About Jacket Leads To Box Cutter Threats In Nashua: Cops

NASHUA, NH — Police arrested a Nashua man on Sunday after he was accused of threatening family members with a box cutter during an argument about a jacket on Sunday.

Officers were sent to Whitney Street for a report of a domestic incident around 9 p.m. A man accused another man of threatening to cut his son with a box cutter during an argument. The complainant accused Jaime Diaz, 46, of Whitney Road in Nashua of being “intoxicated” and later, cutting his own arm with the box cutter, according to an affidavit.

Officers made contact with Diaz outside of the home and found him bleeding from the back of his left arm. He was handcuffed and then, officers applied tourniquets and a bandage in an attempt to stop the bleeding. During questioning, Diaz denied possessing any weapons and claimed another family member caused the cut to his arm by hitting him with a chair, an affidavit stated. Diaz refused to be taken to the hospital but officers decided to officially place him in protective custody. He was taken later to the Southern New Hampshire Medical Center by ambulance for evaluation, the report said.

Officers interviewed the victim in the case who said he was requested to the home, via text message, to assist family members, since Diaz was intoxicated, according to an affidavit. Before heading to the home, the victim brought Diaz’s jacket with him, since he left it at his house, he claimed. When he arrived and gave the jacket to Diaz, he accused him of stealing the jacket and they began arguing, the report stated. During the argument, the pair agreed to take it outside and “settle it like men,” and then Diaz appeared with a box cutter, an affidavit said.

The victim accused Diaz of swinging the box cutter at him. The victim ran outside, accused Diaz of following and attempting to cut him, and then returned to the home.

“While standing in the kitchen,” the report said, “(Diaz) again swung the box cutter at him. (The victim) stated he was able to avoid being hit with the box cutter by falling to the ground. (He) grabbed a chair, which he used for protection … as a shield between himself and Jaime.”

Two other family members corroborated the victim’s testimony and accused Diaz of attempting to slash him repeatedly with the box cutter.

A detective noted in a report that there was “a large amount of blood” on the floor of the kitchen of the home and also outside of the home, on the sidewalk, and in a street, too. Officers followed the blood outside and later, a box cutter was found on Grove Street.

At the hospital, detectives questioned Diaz and accused him of blaming the victim for the cut on his arm, due to the chair.

“Diaz did not recall brandishing a box cutter knife during the altercation or attempting to stab (the victim) but considered the scenario likely due to his high level of intoxication,” a detective wrote. “Diaz also did not recall discarding the box cutter knife but described owning one which matched the description of the one found on Grove Street.”

Police applied for a search warrant for the home and Diaz’s vehicle, where more blood was reportedly found.

Diaz was charged with attempted-first-degree assault-deadly weapon and domestic violence-criminal threatening with a deadly weapon, both felonies. He faces up to 22 years in prison and fines. Diaz was held on preventative detention and was scheduled for arraignment in Hillsborough County Superior Court South on Monday.

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Nashua Police Department and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the removal request process for New Hampshire Patch police reports.

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